The impact of mass population

The Rabbits by John Marsden, illustrated by Shaun Tan. (Port Melbourne: Lothian, 1998.)


Winner: Children's Book Council of Australia: Children's Book of the Year Awards: Picture Book of the Year 1999.

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells of the arrival of technologically proficient "Rabbits" to a new land that leads to conflict with the indigenous residents, overcrowded cities and devastation of the natural environment. The rabbits are a metaphor for the white settlers of Australia and the story focuses on the impact of their arrival on the aboriginal people.  Whilst the story can be seen to be one sided (that of the indigenous), the bold and creative illustrations have powerful visual impact. Readers will come away thinking about the effects on habitat when little respect is shown for the natural environment.


Whilst categorised as a book for 9-12 year olds, teenagers will also appreciate the message being conveyed.