The publisher says...

A beautiful picture book about a quirky little fish that is famous for walking on its 'hands'. Have you ever seen a fish that could do a handstand? This is the story of a quirky and primitive little fish that is famous for two reasons: walking on its ‘hands’ (pectoral fins), and being one of the first marine fish in the world to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Spotted Handfish has survived since the time of the dinosaurs – until now. Invasive seastars, pollution and climate change mean that this unique Australian is in serious trouble – hands up if you want to know more! Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish is perfect for primary aged readers. 

The author says...

I was absolutely thrilled and over the moon when Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish was announced for the 2020 CBCA Eve Pownall Award Shortlist. I actually screamed while watching the live awards video (much to the dismay of the guy cleaning the carpet downstairs!). Being shortlisted represents the culmination and union of my two great passions – writing for children, and the conservation of Australia’s unique wildlife. Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish is an amazing example of how science can help with a conservation problem. As such, being shortlisted is also an honour for me professionally; it’s recognition of my own scientific training as an ecologist and science communicator, and it helps children to recognise the importance of science and scientists. Finally, with Hold On! on the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist, I nudge ever closer to achieving a personal goal of more than twenty years – to make the Spotted Handfish a household name around Australia. This primitive little walking fish is the perfect mascot for the smaller critters in the ocean that need our conservation help.

The illustrator says...

My recent book, Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish, written by Gina Newton and published by CSIRO Publishing, is an educational book on, you guessed it, the spotted handfish. This strange little creature was so close to extinction that scientists had to work very hard and get pretty creative to keep it alive. I loved being involved in a project that aims to educate kids on the lesser known creatures that inhabit our world, and to illustrate how we can help undo the damage that humans inflict on our environment. It was also a whole lot of fun to draw so many underwater scenes, and, although there were no monsters, (I still got to draw dinosaurs and an angler fish, so that’s OK) it was great to rely less on my imagination and to create more scientifically accurate illustrations. This process took a lot more googling and looking at scientific photos than I had done previously. It also provided an interesting visual story-telling challenge; to lay out a lot of informative text while creating an easy flow through the book that worked well with the illustrations and the underwater feel.

The CBCA judges say...

This fascinating and well-researched recount of the Spotted Handfish, a little-known species which was alive in the time of the dinoaurs, tells the story of observant scuba divers who stopped the destruction of the fish as dissection specimens which lead to a Recovery Plan and Captive Breeding program. Concisely communicated and detailed illustrations depict the Spotted Handfish species and its underwater Tasmanian habitat, through an engaging first-person narrative. The glossary and abbreviations exemplify lucid science writing. Demonstrating the impact of Citizen Science programs this book encourages young readers to consider the impact of human behaviour on one particular species, and, to sea creatures generally.

The Reading Time reviewers say...