Double Dipping: Banjo Paterson Australian Classics for Little Ones


When I was a kid, Mum and Dad ordered in a magnificent, leatherbound, two volume set entitled, Singer of the Bush and Song of The Pen; a collection of poems, verse and short stories by Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Paterson. Like many others, I went on to love several of the well-known and well-worn classics. I never made it through every single poem. I still have the two giant tomes. They represent keepsakes and a slice of history. Imagine if other young readers, curious crafters of words and themes they are only just becoming acquainted with could have their own slice of this history.

Meet Banjo Paterson - in board book form. Presented in hard cover, thick paged, glossy full colour, this introductory series to the amazing works behind one of Australia's best-loved poets comes to vivid life. Edited to be read in one sitting, these make familiar classics less wieldy and supremely more accessible for both carers, parents, teachers and the little ones they are reading with.


Waltzing Matilda takes us through the full four verses of this erstwhile Aussie National Athem with one tiny noticeable aleration or rather omission. The swagman's drowning and subsequent appearance as a ghost who haunts the Billabong is thoughtfully left unsaid, presumably to encourage lateral thinking and discussion of the possible outcomes for this situation. 

Being the horsenut I was as a kid, The Man From Snowy River is my personal favourite. This lengthy poem is taken to a natural conclusion after the wild man from Snowy River and his mountain savvy pony successfully single-handedly bring back the colt from old Regret and with him, a mob of wild brumbies. 

The dozen or so stanzas of the original poem have been deftly edited by Kathryn England to fit snuggly into a thrilling adventure of insurmountable odds and spirited determination, the wiff of which even the very young will relish and gulp down with glee. 

Bright bold full colour illustrations by Cate James sport rounded edges and cartoonseque stylings yet still manage to harness the vast unique beauty of the Aussie bush.  

But wait, there's more! For every line of verse on each page opposite each visual description, a numerical value is shown both as a number and as a word. Readers are told what they should be looking for and counting down: 6 six black grass trees, 5 five blue fairy wrens for instance. The clever inclusion of numbers and colours and flora and fauna indentification not only encourages pauses and explorations, as readers search and find, but entices repeat readings which because of the beautiful essence of AB Paterson's poetry, make this a reading experience to treasure. 

The Banjo Paterson board book series not only reawakens a warm childhood memory for me, it provides a valuable learning resource that focuses on the forgotten art of poetry whilst uniting youngters with historical icons. 

Title: Banjo Paterson Australian Classics for Little Ones: Waltzing Matilda and The Man From Snowy River
Author: AB Banjo Paterson Edited by: Kathryn England
Illustrator: Cate James
Publisher: Penguin, $14.99
Publication Date: 8 April 2026
Format: Hardcover Board Book
ISBN: 9781761355110, 9781761355103
For ages: 2+
Type: Board Book

Buy the Book: Penguin Books


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