'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday, 5 November 2025

Review: The Aussie Twelve Days of Christmas

Author/illustrator Brentos returns for another brilliant exhibition of their unique soft pastel creations with The Aussie12 Days of Christmas. The traditional Christmas song is given an Aussie twist by introducing a different Australian animal on each of the twelve days. 

There are galahs, turtles, goannas, rosellas, wombats and others to discover. 

But who can it be in the gum tree? 

Children will have fun searching for and identifying the list of animals for the day they get up to.

Working through the twelve days of Brentos’ Christmas, the amount of Australian native animals on the page,  increases.

Soon the double spreads become choc-a-block.

This book offers children the delight of constructive learning through counting, the search to find each specific animal, and discovering what sounds they make, as some make more than one sound, depending on the message they are trying to convey. 

This activity can be undertaken in a group, alone, or as a class discussion combined with other information concerning Aussie animals.

 By the end of the book, can the double page fit all the animals?  

And how many animals will end up on that last page?

Brentos is Australian illustrator artist Brent Turner, and French-Canadian born Tash Leemburg

Their impressive and original pastel-coloured murals, and illustrations in their children’s picture books, represent Australia’s natural world in weird and wonderful ways. 

They draw on the bush, beaches, wild Australia, and marine and national parks for inspiration.

Brent is the artist in this collaboration of various talents.

Tash is also multi-skilled. She paints murals, makes videos and has a hand in many other artistic creations.

Title: The Aussie Twelve Days of Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Brentos
Publisher: Affirm Press, $ 22.99
Publication Date: 26 August 2025
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781923135413
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture Book