Jetty Jumping by Andrea Rowe & Hannah Sommerville

While Milla’s friends take big, brave jumps off the jetty, Milla stays on the blistering wood, scared of what lurks below. But when Milla accidentally falls off the edge, she discovers the beauty of the deep, dark sea – and her summer changes forever.

This gorgeous picture book written by Andrea Rowe and illustrated by Hannah Sommerville, has been rightly shortlisted in the 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Notables. The illustrations speak to the colours of summer by the sea and the lyrical text weaves a tale that delights and entices you to join Mila in her adventure.

Action based words, alliteration and repetition in the text, create opportunities for children to immerse themselves in the narrative. The story took me back to my own childhood and the fears I had about jetty jumping and reminded me about the magic that can be found when we take a leap.

Both the writing and the illustrations are gorgeous, with a perfect rhythm to keep small children engaged in the story of celebrating the joy of letting go. Using a jetty and the ocean as the platform for finding your courage and being brave, works perfectly.

Author Andrea Rowe and illustrator Hannah Sommerville perfectly capture the challenges of childhood – and the joy of letting go – in this homage to summer.

About the Author

Andrea Rowe had a childhood fear of jetties and was scared of falling through the cracks and into the murky depths below. Now she’s all grown up Andrea thinks jetties are the best playground a coast kid can have, and she bravely leaps off jetties and swims beside barnacled pylons with her two adventurous kids after school.

Andrea is a writer who lives with her two kids and park ranger husband in a beach shack in the dunes on the Mornington Peninsula. She has a BA in Media Relations and Grad Dip in Crisis and Issues Communications and she’s very good at playing scrabble.

About the Illustrator

Hannah Sommerville is a best-selling picture book illustrator who creates enchanting watercolour, gouache and digital illustrations in her studio on the South Coast of NSW. Hannah earned a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts and Graphic Design) at the University of Wollongong in 2006, and began illustrating in 2010 after the arrival of her children.

Hannah is a storyteller who enjoys creating picture books that capture the imagination, tenderness and playfulness that surround children and family life. Her picture book Digby & Claude, written by Emma Allen, was selected for the CBCA 2019 Notables list.

Highly recommended for ages 3+ and available at all good book stores

Helen