May Gibbs’ Tales from the Sea by Kate Wenban

Title: May Gibbs’ Tales from the Sea

Author: Kate Wenban

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1^st September 2022

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: Join Snugglepot and Cuddlepie on an enchanting adventure under the sea with their royal friend, Little Obelia. With amazing sea dragon rides, a marine mystery, and a surprise ocean dance, prepare to fall in love with May Gibbs’ classic characters.

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 Just about every Australian has had The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs read to them, or they have read them. They are some of Australia’s most iconic fictional characters, and over the years, there have been many celebratory editions and new adventures based on the characters coming out, The latest is set in the sea, and follows the adventures of the brothers and their friends, Little Obelia, and Ragged Blossom under the sea, after a sea bird tips one of the brothers and Ragged Blossom into the water.

This adventure takes us out of the bush and towards the coast – vastly different from the other stories, but still has the charm and beauty of the original works. Kate Wenban has managed to capture May Gibbs’ tone and style wonderfully, and the illustrations created by Caroline Keys, based on May Gibbs’ illustrations are evocative and so close to the originals, it is like the story has come from May Gibbs herself – I am sure this was the intention, though, and I found it to be a wonderful thing. Adding to series like this – as other authors have done with Winnie the Pooh over the years for anniversaries can be tricky. You want to capture new readers but for those who know the originals, there is a need to be true to the source material, and that has been done really well here.

Whilst these are geared towards a modern audience, I think those who are familiar with the original stories will get something out of them, and they’re a nice extension of the stories, in a similar format, just a bit shorter. These books are beautiful and filled with such joy – they have the same mystery and adventure that the original stories had, and of course, have a delightful happy ending that leads readers into a magical world of gum nut babies and water royalty in a uniquely Australian flavour. If anyone were to ask about Australian fantasy, the first thing to come to mind might be Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, because it has shaped so much of our reading experience.

This is a fun and delightful book that I hope generations of Australians come to enjoy.