About the Author

Jackie Hosking is a Nigerian-born Cornish Australian. She moved to Victoria, Australia when she was ten. Jackie has always loved reading, but she didn’t start writing until her youngest child turned two. Her first poem for children was published by The School Magazine in 2005. In 2012, Jackie won a Maurice Saxby Mentorship, which helped her to polish the manuscript that was to become The Croc and the Platypus.

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall was born in America and currently lives in Sydney, Australia. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Northern Illinois University. In 1997 she won the CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books and has since been short-listed for other awards. She currently works as a freelance illustrator for educational publishers, general editorial book publishers and magazines. Marjorie loves to experiment with new techniques for her illustrations, but always seems to return to her beloved and well-used colour pencils. The Croc and the Platypus is her first Walker Books Australia title.

Reviews

This is an ode to the Australian outback and its icons as well as a rollickingly good read that kids will soon have memorised.
*Kids' Book Review*

This is clever and fun and I can easily imagine reading it to kids who will love it!
*ABC Radio Central West NSW Deborah Abela*

Hosking’s appreciation of, commitment to and finesse with the rhyming word are self-evident. She works them all to perfection in this richly Aussie-flavoured celebration about embracing unlikely friendships and sharing stellar moments with those closest to you whilst enjoying a good old Aussie road trip.
*Boomerang Books*

Jackie Hosking’s first picture book is simply brilliant!
*Buzz Words*

is my three year olds FAVOURITE book at the moment and fortunately the text is so lyrical and lovely to read aloud that I don’t mind that I am up to about 30 reads of it!
*Children's Books Daily*

This is just brilliant.
*Create a Kids Book*

The Croc and the Platypus is one of those books where you feel like the writer is sitting next to you telling her story, the author’s voice comes through strongly in a unique and engaging way… Marjorie Crosby-Fairall’s illustrations perfectly compliment the words.
*Deescribe Writing*

A wonderful Aussie larrikin twist on a well-loved poem… perfect to read aloud for and with children. Teachers will have fun with this one in any country.
*Literacy, Families and Learning*

The easy rollicking rhyme will entreat readers and listeners alike.
*ReadPlus*

The wonderful illustrations bring the vivid Australian landscape to life… With rhyming text, it is a great bedtime book for young children.
*Sunday Telegraph*

Hosking's rhyming words, with their lilting musicality, beg to be read aloud, and Marjorie Crosby-Fairall's illustrations are as vibrant and colourful as one would expect pf a road trip across the Nullarbor Plain.
*The Big Issue*

Jackie Hosking is an expert with rhyme and it works exceptionally well...The illustrations by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall with their outback Australian colours are simply stunning and add to the text beautifully.
*Write and Read with Dale*

This picture book is highly recommended for young children both its appealing verse and the excellence of the illustrations and design.
*Magpies Magazine*