Cockatoo

In the hollow of an ancient tree, a black cockatoo chick relies on its parents for survival. But as spring turns to summer, only the young cockatoo can save itself from the deadly heat.  A story about the magnificent black cockatoo, how they begin their life sheltering in tree hollows and how eventually they must learn how to fly out of the hollow to survive.

About the author Kaye Baillie has been fascinated by yellow-tailed black cockatoos ever since she first saw them feeding in a tall banksia tree near her home on the Surf Coast in Victoria. She loves watching them lope across the skies and the unique sounds of their calls. From her research, Kaye has written a poetic and vivid story portraying the first vulnerable months of life for a young yellow-tailed black cockatoo and how he overcomes life and death challenges with help from his protective parents. Kaye’s previous picture book with Windy Hollow Books, When the Waterhole Dries Up illustrated by Max Hamilton, was shortlisted in the 2022 CBCA Book Awards. She’s thrilled to be creating another book with Max and Windy Hollow.  About the illustrator Max Hamilton is a CBCA and Whitley award winning illustrator, a graphic designer and most enthusiastically a maker of children’s books. She enjoys noticing the little details in things and loves to get lost in the world of illustration and stories.