You're Strong With Me; Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Poonam Mistry

You’re Strong With Me is the third title in the series that Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry have produced together and just like the previous two it is a stunning piece of work.

Being a giraffe calf is tough and there is much to learn. From personal grooming to mastering the art of drinking water from the creek to understanding the sounds of the wild. Then there are dangers to spot, bushfires to avoid and there’s plenty of growing to be done. Luckily, the giraffe calf is not alone and has a mother that is always on hand with the most timely and comforting of words, ‘You’re strong with me.’

Chitra Soundar tells a heart-warming story about a kind and caring mother giraffe and her young calf to whom she is teaching the ways of the world. It is a wonderful read that celebrates the special bond between mother and child. Mother giraffe is full of advice, just like any parent, and is the doting mother who nurtures and teaches. Soundar’s use of vocabulary really helps set the scene for the narrative as readers are treated to scorched lands, acacia trees, an oxpecker and grasslands.

The real stars of this book are the illustrations which I just cannot get enough of. They are African and Indian in appearance with a mixture of intricate patterns and dots that seamlessly blend together animals and their environment. The choice of earthy colours gives the sense of roaming the African savannah and the I love the shades of blue that appear down by the creek.

It makes for a lovely bedtime story full of the gentle reassurances that young readers will find comforting. Parents will thoroughly enjoying sharing this with their children and giving them the message, ‘You’re strong with me’.

Recommended for 5+.