Ten Little Figs is a beautiful story that features everything Australian told in fabulous whimsical sing-song style that will keep you and the little ones captivated to the very end.
The story follows a young boy who wanders around in his backyard under a big fig tree. He loves figs and watches as different kinds of animals from bats, to moths and wombats, come and collect a piece of fruit. But will there be one left for him?
Sonny actually picked this story out at the library and I was stoked as I had seen it around on Instagram and thought the cover was really sweet. On our first read-through, I enjoyed the story and the counting down on every page, as well as all the Aussie animals… but it was on the second read through that I really loved it.
The story is told so so well – the writing is brilliant, and does a fantastic job of creating a gentle page turner, with a sense of wonder and little surprises along the way – you actually can’t help reading it in a sing along song kinda voice. The simple plot and flow kept my toddler glued to the page and has been requested multiple times a day.
The illustrations are gorgeous – the animals and the setting is fantastic and shows all the things you can spot in our very own backyard – particularly poignant for all those Victorians such as myself who are stuck at home in the moment. The illustrators also feel like a love letter to Australian flora and fauna with elements of surprise and delight – you won’t be disappointed! Sonny loved counting down all the figs too which kept the story going and pointing out the animals in the background, as they crept onto the page.
Ten Little Figs is also quite informative and on the last page includes a cute picture of all the animals and figs and a note on how uniquely Australian they all are. I love the jacaranda in the background and the garden setting, and that even though it remains the same setting the whole way through, the different angles and viewpoints still creates a sense of intrigue.
Ten Little Figs is beautiful Australian story that felt so pure and reminiscent of childhood – and works as a reminder of all the things we can find in our backyard. This is a gorgeous story that is packed with appeal, and one we will be grabbing for our permanent collection for sure.
To grab yourself a copy of this gorgeous book, click here.
Title: Ten Little Figs
Author & Illustrator: Rhiân Williams & Nathaniel Eckstrom
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 2020
Ages: 3+
Ragamuffin Books 