Shadow Catchers by Kirsty Murray and Karen Blair

Title: Shadow Catchers

Author: Kirsty Murray and Karen Blair

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Published: 2^nd May 2023

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: A delightful picture book that celebrates the joy of young children trying to catch their shadows – from the creators of CBCA Honour Book When Billy was a Dog and Puddle Hunters.

On sunshiny mornings, we go shadow catching.

Inside, outside, in our home and in our neighbourhood, shadows dance around us from morning through to the night.  

Our shadows are so tall, then small, then tall again in sunlight, lamplight and even in the moonlight. 

A wonderful picture book about playfulness and the joy of light and movement.

~*~

Ama and her brother love playing in the sun and light with their shadows – chasing them, trying to catch them, and everything in between as they explore the world of shadows and how different lights show their shadows differently from the beginning of the day until they go to bed at night. The different shadows chase them around playfully throughout the day, growing and shrinking as the light ebbs and flows, and they go on a picnic, play games, and finally, go to bed, where the nighttime shadows come out as they settle in.

There are lots of nice picture books like this, that celebrate the magic of nature and sibling relationships – the small moments in our lives that show us what our families are made up of, and who they are, and the games they play with each other – I think this is a beautiful way to tell a story and show the magic of play, using your imagination and the world around you. In a world where screens increasingly take up all of our time, I love it when we are all reminded that getting away from the screen and out into something else – a book, nature, or your own imagination. It helps to show that there are so many ways to enjoy life and live life – that we don’t need to be controlled by screens, that we can use them but also do other things – there are benefits for both, it would seem. I’m the kind of person who enjoys reading paperbacks because it gives me a chance to step away from the screen and separate reading from other work – because when doing some things, I read on the screen, and it is nice to be able to take a break and refocus whilst reading a paperback.

Kids of all ages will enjoy this book – I loved it and think it is a nice reminder that spending time together is also an important part of growing up – getting to know your family and what they like. It is also a reassuring read that lets us know that it is okay to be scared sometimes because those that we love can help us chase the scary things away. It is another beautiful reminder that words and pictures come together to create wonderful stories, and that picture books are for anyone at any age.