Rating: Buy it ASAP – a bookshelf essential
What is
it? Illustrated,
children’s poetry
Ideal for
fans of: Fynbos
Fairies (Antjie Krog and Fiona Moodie)
What
makes it special? Gorgeous
illustrations and adorable prose; also available in Afrikaans
Get it in
South Africa from: Umuzi,
an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa
What do you
get when you combine two South African literary legends with an illustrator
extraordinaire? A visual treat that’s not just for children! Yes, Vetplant (succulent)
Fairies might be marketed as a children’s book, but let’s be honest. Plant
lovers everywhere will be dying to get their hands on this little volume, too.
Vetplant Fairies isn’t just attractive because it’s the work of a few powerhouse South African literary figures. Of course, the writers and illustrators share a huge amount of accolades, including literary awards, art exhibitions across the globe, and more books than you can count. But this title is special. It comes at a time when South Africans acknowledge the importance, freedom and sheer beauty of the outdoors.
After a global pandemic that had us holed up inside for months, this
call to nature is a breath of fresh air. So why not take Vetplant Fairies on your next great adventure, and see if you can spot all the books' residents.
This book
features fifteen of Southern Africa’s best-known succulents. Euphorbia,
lithops, aloe, hoodia and crassula all feature! Accompanying
a full-page, full-colour illustration of each plant (with accompanying wildlife
and fairies) is a carefully penned poem. Some are whimsical, some sad, but all
of them are ideal for read-alongs with little ones.
Aside from
the pictures and text, this book also serves to educate young and old readers
about some of the region’s most beautiful (and occasionally scarce) plants. It’s
a visual diary of a few of natures biggest delights, and it is timeless.
Now if you’ll
excuse me, I need to see about having some of these images copied and framed. They’re
that impressive.
Vetplant
Fairies, by Fiona Moodie, Ingrid de Kok and Antjie Krog is published by Umuzi, an
imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa.
