Rajah Street by Myo Yim
It took me a few minutes to move on from the delectable endpapers with their differing views of Rajah Street where our hero lives. The street has a host of different buildings, a range of cars and transport offerings, differing people and animals, as well as a splendid view. And when the last page is turned the street is the same but different. Enough to satisfy any seeker of detail.
Junya has lived in the same cosy little house with his family since he was born. Today is Wednesday the day he always waits for. And over the next few pages we learn just why he waits for this particular day. We see him with his mother, his older brother and dad presumably having gone off to work and school.
He talks to his mother about the kookaburras and the clouds passing by, the increasing number of cars on the road outside, a truck mixer and a school bud, a large yellow dog which passes by the window and skateboarders. Each comment elicits a response from mum as she busies herself with her work in the kitchen or the house, responding every time to the questions he poses.
Over the morning we see things from Junya's perspective: his view of life he sees outside the window, the names he calls things when unsure of what they are really called, his delight in talking to his mother, his expectation of what happens on Wednesday. The book reveals an image of a rich and varied home life, and supported by his mother, he is encouraged to look beyond the walls of the house, to talk, to communicate, to look, to feel.
The mixed media illustrations reveal detailed streets, and readers will love looking for their favourite things in their neighbourhood, the large number of bins reflecting the story of the garbage truck coming on Wednesday. They will adore looking at the different textures used to create each image, pondering over what the artist used to create that effect. A lovely book about home and family told through the perspective of one young boy.
Themes: Family, Home, Relationships, Suburbs, Rubbish.
Fran Knight
