About Face is an illustrated children's book about a dream in which ears, eyes, nose and mouth become detached from the narrator's face, taking on lives of their own.
The facial characters, free from all restrictions, delve into mischief including party music, trying to bake a pie without burning down the kitchen, eating and even dancing!
About Face is a hilarious children's story illustrated with remarkable 3D effects and fantasic visual innovation – soon to be an animated film.
Robert Moore is a widely published writer of poetry, plays, articles, short stories and children's books.
Breathe Easy, a children's play that he co-wrote to help educate about asthma awareness, was awarded a special commendation from The Asthma Foundation of South Australia in 1998.
He was joint winner of the inaugural Feast Festival Short Story Competition in 2001 with Clearview.
His first children's book Raspberry Rat (Macmillan) was published in 2003 and Map (Macmillan) followed in 2004.
ISBN 9781921869129 (HB, 36pp); 36pp;
216mm x 280mm
"Eden Hills writer Robert Moore's primary-age picture book tells of the story of a dream in which a boy's facial features take on a rumbustious night-life of their own. Eyes, ears, lips and nose, pictured in plastic technicolour by Adelaide company MonkeyStack slide off their face and explore the house, burning pies in the kitchen, indulging in reggae in the living room and arguing about earphones over which the ears not unnaturally claim a monopoly. Some fun is had with expressions such as "eye-popping" and "all ears", but in general the features behave like any kids having a bit of a midnight knees-up and needing a day or two in bed to recover."
– Katherine England, The Adelaide Advertiser: SA Weekend
"Former Tasmanian robert Moore has created an appealing picture book that takes readers on a midnight caper in the kitchen with a small boy's ears, eyes, nose and mouth.
As they cook raspberry pie and turn up the stereo for a dance, the organs of sight, sound, taste and smell each get to do their thing, giving young readers the chance to learn about their own faces and the senses.
About Face has a modern, digitally-created look, but is still charming and old-fashioned in its simplicity, harking back to the days of Mr Potato Head, when life was simpler and sweeter."
- Dani Colvin, Sunday Tasmanian
"The bold cover of About Face invites young readers into this humorous story in which each of the facial features becomes an independent character. Nose even has a bandaid across the bridge and mouth has a missing tooth, just like the children who will enjoy this book. ... A surreptitious adventure [making] raspberry pies while having fun dancing to lively music.
The vibrant colours of the illustrations against the darker background will immediately capture a child’s interest and be a source of discussion. The text stands out boldly, printed in white against the dark blue background of each page, making it easy for a young reader to follow the words.
Young children will enjoy having this book read to them or reading it themselves and will have a giggle at the characters up to mischief. The book could be complemented with songs and rhymes about the face and body and be a useful resource in a unit of work on the senses."
- Margaret Warner, BuzzWords
"About Face is a funny, quirky and definitely colourful story of a boy who has a dream that his facial features leave his face and roam the house. The adventures of six appendages (two eyes, two ears, a nose and lips) making pies, listening to music and sneaking about the house will delight children. The wonderful 3D graphics will mesmerise the reader. I was just waiting for the eyes to blink! A wonderful and different story that is soon be turned into an animation film. Now that will be one to keep your eyes and ears posted out for …"
- The Reading Stack
Links
Teachers' notes (free download)
Sample
My eyes jumped out of their sockets. My nose fell on the floor. My ears unscrewed themselves.
'Come on,' Lips said to Eyes.
'Come on,' Eyes said to Ears.
'Come on,' Ears said to Nose.
Eyes, Ears and Nose followed Lips into the kitchen.
Lips closed the door.
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