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Magic Fish Dreaming
A poetry quest for families and children to discover nature and the people of Far North Queensland, as well as poetry in every space they might travel beyond the book.
48 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2016
About the author
June Perkins
5 books28 followersDr June Perkins is a multi-arts creative born to a Papua New Guinean Indigenous mother and Australian father. She was raised in Tasmania as a Bahá'i and combines poetry, blogging, photography, story and more to explore themes interesting her - peace, ecology, spirituality, cultural diversity, resilience and empowerment. Earlier works, Magic Fish Dreaming (2016)
Her latest book is Illuminations: 19 poems and 1 story
In 2017, Magic Fish Dreaming won several Royal Dragonfly awards, recently, Second for Children's Poetry Book, Environment, Book Trailer, and for Picture books for over six and honorable mention for cultural diversity.
June completed an Australian Society of Authors Emerging Writing Mentorship working with Robyn Sheahan Bright in 2016.
Her latest book is Illuminations: 19 poems and 1 story
In 2017, Magic Fish Dreaming won several Royal Dragonfly awards, recently, Second for Children's Poetry Book, Environment, Book Trailer, and for Picture books for over six and honorable mention for cultural diversity.
June completed an Australian Society of Authors Emerging Writing Mentorship working with Robyn Sheahan Bright in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 11, 2017
You'll find my impressions of this sublime collection of poetry within the book itself. Suffice to say, the lilting rhythms of Perkins' verse and the creatures and curiosities that swirl throughout each of Helene's illustrations will entrance and delight children for generations. Highly recommended.
March 9, 2017
Magic Fish Dreaming is one of those books destined for parents who understand the importance of reading a book to their children, a book that discovers magic in the country and its creatures. The words are joyful and magical. The illustrations are lovable, alive with shape, imagery and spirit.
This book is filled with poems that draw you into the peacefulness of the Australian bush. Poems that celebrate the creatures like Geckos’ Dance, Beyond Caterpillar Days, Tawny and Wishing for a Fish invite readers on a rhythmic journey with images to help them along the way.
Poems that feature the power of our environment like Storm Dancers and Lost at Sea gather readers up and ask them to explore the heart of far north Queensland.
This is a book for everyone, to read quietly under a tree or to snuggle on the side of the bed and read aloud to the ones they love. It will certainly enrich the lives of those who read it.
Vacen Taylor
This book is filled with poems that draw you into the peacefulness of the Australian bush. Poems that celebrate the creatures like Geckos’ Dance, Beyond Caterpillar Days, Tawny and Wishing for a Fish invite readers on a rhythmic journey with images to help them along the way.
Poems that feature the power of our environment like Storm Dancers and Lost at Sea gather readers up and ask them to explore the heart of far north Queensland.
This is a book for everyone, to read quietly under a tree or to snuggle on the side of the bed and read aloud to the ones they love. It will certainly enrich the lives of those who read it.
Vacen Taylor
December 22, 2016
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
A quality book of children's poetry: filled with the Australian landscape, speaks to community, honours indigenous ancestry and cultural diversity.
Magical poems and stunning illustrations and I just can't wait to include it in my little boy's bedtime reading.
Still deciding on my favourite poem: I can't separate "Pond Pests" and "Magic Fish Dreaming".
A quality book of children's poetry: filled with the Australian landscape, speaks to community, honours indigenous ancestry and cultural diversity.
Magical poems and stunning illustrations and I just can't wait to include it in my little boy's bedtime reading.
Still deciding on my favourite poem: I can't separate "Pond Pests" and "Magic Fish Dreaming".
December 21, 2017
Poetry can whisper in the wind and carry the imagination softly with it, or beat loudly like a drum and stir the heart’s complacence. Rhyme and rhythm have encouraged awareness and learning in our children from a very early age, and it’s great to see poetry books like this leading them to an appreciation for this great art of expression. The words, layout, font, and color palette, as well as the illustrations by Helene Magisson are truly a wonderful visual experience in themselves.
November 9, 2017
Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins
I’m writing this story in a bottle lost at sea…..
Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins is a collection of poems for children that ignite imagination, incite dreaming and explore the great land and wildlife of Australia.
Poetry is not something I read a lot of – but after reading Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins I believe it is something I should do more often.
Not only did I enjoy the diverse range of poems included in this book but the children I read it to lapped it up.
My son asked me to read the poem about the Cassowary several times over along with Pond Pests and Magic Fish Dreaming. We loved the rhyme in some poems, the storytelling within others and the speech between families.
Each poem told a different story and really ignited conversations about fairy teeth, why a Cassowary wasn’t at his home and the possibility of us going on an adventure in a bottle.
June Perkin’s poems are short yet effervescent. They are perfect for reading out loud and some of these poems can also be read as a group. Helen Magisson’s delicate pastel illustrations compliment each poem and add more mystery to those poems which make you sit and wonder; what if?
Not only are these poems full of imaginative places they also bring up issues of endangered animals, loss of habitat and the importance of respecting the land. The beauty of these poems that talk about cane toad invasion and loss of natural habitat is that the message can be quickly understood – something that is really important when trying to educate young children.
Magic Fish Dreaming is a wonderful anthology and one to share with your young children.
Check out educateempower.blog for more teaching tips!
I’m writing this story in a bottle lost at sea…..
Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins is a collection of poems for children that ignite imagination, incite dreaming and explore the great land and wildlife of Australia.
Poetry is not something I read a lot of – but after reading Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins I believe it is something I should do more often.
Not only did I enjoy the diverse range of poems included in this book but the children I read it to lapped it up.
My son asked me to read the poem about the Cassowary several times over along with Pond Pests and Magic Fish Dreaming. We loved the rhyme in some poems, the storytelling within others and the speech between families.
Each poem told a different story and really ignited conversations about fairy teeth, why a Cassowary wasn’t at his home and the possibility of us going on an adventure in a bottle.
June Perkin’s poems are short yet effervescent. They are perfect for reading out loud and some of these poems can also be read as a group. Helen Magisson’s delicate pastel illustrations compliment each poem and add more mystery to those poems which make you sit and wonder; what if?
Not only are these poems full of imaginative places they also bring up issues of endangered animals, loss of habitat and the importance of respecting the land. The beauty of these poems that talk about cane toad invasion and loss of natural habitat is that the message can be quickly understood – something that is really important when trying to educate young children.
Magic Fish Dreaming is a wonderful anthology and one to share with your young children.
Check out educateempower.blog for more teaching tips!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews