Isabella’s Garden was one of my favourite picture books of 2009, so I was excited to see what author/illustrator team Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool came up with in For All Creatures.

The result is an absolutely stunning tribute to all the creatures of the world – the ones that crawl, the ones that fly, those with fur and those with spikes. Millard’s lyrical tribute to the animal kingdom begs to be read aloud, and her truly original phrases coupled with the fact she has not shied away from some complex language will encourage lots of questions from little readers. Rebecca Cool’s bright, mixed-media illustrations are reminiscent of Mirka Mora, but with their own original touches – the wooden ruler-striped tiger is just beautiful to behold.

Perfect as either a gift for a special occasion or just one to add to your own collection, For All Creatures is the sort of book you will read again and again, and I can see it becoming a classic in many households.

Holly Harper is a childrens’ book specalist at Readings Carlton. You can follow her on twitter -

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