Peter Carnavas has crafted a gentle, folkloric quest in Kid, a timeless fable about finding family. The novel’s storytelling and warm characters make it ideal for reading aloud to young children or an independent reader.
Kid is a very small goat who lives on a rustic property. He shares his home with a coterie of animals. Most significant of these are Audrey, the mother-figure hen; Harriet, the pig who dreams of wild foods, and Ma, the intimidating boss dog. Kid, who also represents a young child, often retreats inside a hollow log for comfort. He is energetic and aspires to be brave. His parents, Buck and Bess, are missing, yet Kid finds solace in the stories he and Audrey embellish about their heroism while protecting the farm.
Kid believes that Buck and Bess are exiled on the mountain, a key symbol of the tale. Alongside his two best friends, he plans to rescue them. However, Kid departs alone to safeguard them from ‘farm law’, which decrees that those who leave may not return.
The book’s lyrical storytelling and hardcover signal Kid’s status as a likely contemporary classic. It is a sensitively illustrated, literary work that reflects the author-illustrator’s empathy and wisdom.
Reviewed by Joy Lawn
Age Guide 5+
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Carnavas writes and illustrates books for children. He has made many picture books, such as The Children Who Loved Books, Last Tree in the City and A Quiet Girl. His novel The Elephant won a Queensland Literary Award and was shortlisted in four other national awards. He has won an Australian Book Industry Award and a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and his books have been published widely across the world.
Peter’s book, My Brother Ben, won the 2022 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, was shortlisted at the 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards, longlisted for the 2022 Australian Book Industry Award’s Book of the Year for Younger Children, and was a 2022 CBCA Notable.
Peter lives in the Sunshine Coast hinterland with his wife, two daughters, a dog called Florence and a cat named Harry. He divides his time between writing and working as a teacher-librarian.
Visit Peter Carnavas’ website here.
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