Edward the Emu 35th Anniversary by Sheena Knowles, illustrated by Rod Clement

Title: Edward the Emu 35^th Anniversary

Author: Sheena Knowles, illustrated by Rod Clement

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: HarperCollins Australia

Published: 5^th July 2023

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Price: $22.99

Synopsis: One of Australia’s best-loved classics that is now celebrating its 35th anniversary!

Tired of his life as an emu, Edward decides to try being something else for a change. He tries swimming with the seals, he spends a day lounging with the lions, and even slithers with the snakes. But Edward soon discovers that being an emu may be the best thing after all.

Sheena Knowles’s upbeat, rhyming text and Rod Clement’s expressive illustrations are sure to make readers laugh out loud in this whimsical picture book by the creators of Edwina the Emu.

AWARDS
Shortlisted – 1989 CBCA Picture Book of the Year

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Edward is an emu at a zoo, but he is tired of that – being stuck on bis own, so he decides that he wants to try being a different animal. He swims with the seals, lounges with lions and slithers with snakes. And everywhere he goes, there is a voice amongst the crowd who says that they find whichever animal Edward is pretending to be is boring. Edward is confused – but maybe he is already the best animal of all – an emu.

It’s been thirty-five years since Edward the Emu was first published, and I think it is just as amusing now, because it captures the joy of play and playing a role in a game. All children enjoy playing dress-ups or pretending to be an animal, and that is exactly what Edward does to alleviate boredom, activate his imagination, and find out who he really is. The story is told simply in rhyme, but with layers of complexity that can be extracted based on the age and experiences of the reader, and how they see themselves, and where they fit in. I liked it because the story allowed Edward to explore his world and what he could be, before he worked out that he likes being an emu. This story can show kids that it is okay to be different, and that sometimes people need to try different things before they decide who they are. Whilst Edward goes back to his emu identity, which works for him, I think this story can also reassure people that whatever choice they make is okay – and that if they feel good, then it is a good thing.

I liked that the story was humorous as well, allowing readers to laugh and learn as they read. We can see that it is going to have a happy ending, because all picture books do. The joyful resolution lets Edward know he is not alone, because at the start of the story he is the only emu in the zoo, and the other animals all have friends and companions. What this shows is that there is always someone out there that will be like you in some way – that whilst you are unique, there is a community that everyone can become a part of. In Edward’s case, he needed another emu to share things with, because he couldn’t change his feathers to fur or scales. I liked that he gave it all a good go though, it showed that he had confidence and allowed him to have fun and explore the world around him.

It was a delight to revisit this book – there are so many childhood favourites that seem to be having anniversaries lately, and I enjoy revisiting them and reading them for the first time in many years. This was a great book for all ages, and I hope many more people discover it this year.