Jeannie Baker – författare

When a young boy visits a tropical rain forest, he pretends it is a long time ago and that extinct and rare animals live in the forest, and aboriginal children play there. But how much longer will the rainforest remain, he wonders?

Stunning and unique mixed media collages will amaze readers in this powerful, eco-conscious picture book by the internationally renowned Jeannie Baker.SHORTLISTED FOR THE KATE GREENAWAY MEDALIn this visually compelling look at our changing environment by Jeannie Baker, illustrator of the critically-acclaimed Mirror and Where the Forest Meets the Sea, a mother and baby look through a window at a view of wilderness and sky as far as the eye can see. With each page, the boy grows and the scene changes. At first, in a clear patch of forest, a single house appears. A few years pass and there is a village in the distance… When the boy is twenty, will he recognize the view from his window? Illustrated with elaborate and gorgeous collage constructions, Window is a wordless picture book that speaks volumes.“...a very moving, sophisticated picture book...illustrated with wonderfully detailed collages.” Nursery Education Australian Children's Book Council Picture Book of the Year Award winnerYoung Australian's Best Book Award winnerNamed a Notable Book in the Field of Social Sciences USA

“This is a book which demands to be shared and discussed.” Books for KeepsTwo diverse countries and cultures are linked with warmth and charm in this two-in-one picture book.This innovative picture book comprises two stories designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left, the other from the right. Page by page, we experience the lives of two little boys – one from an urban family in Sydney, Australia, the other from Morocco. From busy motorways to desert landscapes, these worlds couldn't be further apart. Yet with the journey of a homemade Moroccan carpet into the Australian boy's home, we can see how these separate lives become intertwined. At the book's conclusion, the family in Sydney can be seen enjoying their new purchase together while the Moroccan family are surfing the internet. A powerful book, Mirror illustrates how our lives reflect each other and that we are all, even in some small way, connected.“An engaging and educational picture book…spectacularly detailed.” Bookseller Buyer’s Guide“Mirror is the season’s most remarkable book…original and brilliantly executed.” The Observer“Uses the mirror metaphor to wordlessly explore our actions.” Early Years Educator“…this is an important book about diversity that makes a lasting impression.” Bookseller

In an infinity of sky, tiny godwit birds follow ancient, invisible migratory pathways, flying on and on for nine nights and nine days, flying without rest… This is their story."A breathtaking picture book" The BooksellerFrom the creator of the critically acclaimed Where the Forest Meets the Sea and Mirror, comes a poetic, eco-conscious picture book which explores the complex, interdependency of nature. This is the story of the little-known Bar-tailed Godwit who, following invisible pathways that have been used for thousands of years, undertakes the longest unbroken migration of any bird, a total of 11,000 kilometres, flying from their breeding grounds in Alaska across the Pacific Ocean to Australia or New Zealand. Facing hunger and treacherous conditions to reach their destination, their flight is one of bravery, tenacity and strength, and Jeannie’s stunning mixed media collages, inspired first-hand by the spectacular landscapes of Alaska and China, will amaze readers, and take them on an extraordinary visual journey to the corners of our Earth.

Selected for the 2025 Bologna Ragazzi Award's Amazing Bookshelf: Sustainability CategoryIn spectacular and astonishing collage detail, Jeannie Baker captures the deep beauty, mystery, and hidden vitality of the desert landscape – and why it needs our protection.Chico’s grandpa has taken him on holiday where he grew up as a child, out in the desert. Chico has no interest in exploring the land – the desert jungle frightens him, and he’d much rather play on his his tablet. Grandpa decides that it is time to show Chico the secrets and the wonders that the desert has to offer so that he will not fear it but, instead, welcome it, embrace it and help protect it. Grandpa shows Chico paths through the cactus and the scrub, teaches Chico the plants' names – ocotillo, cholla, cirios, pin cushion, fishhook – and, soon, Chico begins to understand the wonders of the wild. He learns the value of watching, waiting and listening for all the life that hums within his desert home.

A how-to guide to making your own collages, brimful of fascinating hints and tips from a master of the genre.Over the course of a 40-year career, Jeannie Baker has perfected the art of collage in the creation of picture-book classics such as Where the Forest Meets the Sea and Window, a Boston Globe-Horn Honour Book. Her stunning pieces, devised by assembling all sorts of different textures, are known all around the globe. Whether it's dried flowers or tiny shells, spaghetti or postage stamps, she uses the world around her to make work that is astonishingly beautiful and deeply creative. And she focuses on a range of important issues including the environment, land degradation, family, society and sustainability. In Playing with Collage, she shares her secrets at last – and encourages her readers to get creative. Within each of this book's four main sections, Jeannie presents an abstract collage of her own and offers suggestions and starting points for beginners. There are no right or wrong answers in this treasure of a book, it's all about trusting your instincts ... and playing!