Title: Unreal – Can you tell fact from fake?
Author: Kate Simpson
Illustrator: Leila Rudge
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Publication date: July 2024
Unreal – Can you tell fact from fake? Written by Kate Simpson, illustrated by Leila Rudge and published by Allen and Unwin is a highly absorbing, inventive non-fiction picture book that invites readers to help solve a problem at the Museum. The challenge is that some of the displays have been muddled up and some exhibits are in the wrong section. The Natural History Wing seems to have gained some pieces from the Myths and Legends exhibit. The narrator is looking for guidance to help resolve this conundrum and sort the real-world animals from the myths. Readers will need to employ critical thinking skills as they engage with the information (text and illustrations) in the book and possibly locate and select other sources to help them decide. Readers will be captivated by the animals, plants and fungi included as they sort fact from fiction, animal from apparition, and megafauna from monster.
The book starts with a problem and then poses questions to consider in order to evaluate whether or not a source is reliable. Given online searches may be conducted, it is pleasing to see that lateral reading is referred to and the questions relate to research not rooted in an analogue age.
The contents page is impressive with the diverse range of fauna and flora that are included, for example megafauna, bioluminescence, animal mash-ups to name just a few.
There is a vibrant double page spread introducing five animals or plants from different categories with a sentence and an illustration for each. Readers are invited to consider the information presented to determine which one is the odd one out, the one that may owe it existence to legends or myths and is deemed an imposter. After each of these double page spreads is more information about each of the five animals or plants as well as the answer to inform and explain to readers which one is unreal. This page is also supported by more illustrations to see these creatures and plants in a different view. The layout is superb.
This book is brimming with fascinating creatures, some I had not heard of (the turtle frog, tarsier and jerboa to name some) and mesmerising facts for each creature. The facts included are unique to each animal and may include information about their diet, habitat, adaptations, temperament, as well as information about what makes them unique, their life cycle plus many other engaging facts. For the incredible plants and fungi included (a plant that moves, a tree with exploding fruit, a carnivorous plant and the zombie-ant fungus) readers will learn more enthralling facts about each of these.
This book complements the teaching of the information search process. Any engaging page from the book could be used to work through the steps of this process.
There are so many unique animals and plants included in this visually driven book. Readers will be engrossed by the riveting facts and striking illustrations. This book where history, science and wonder collide will no doubt capture the imagination of all readers that linger in the pages.