First I climbed a large rock, a good vantage point from which to fling myself up and across the mule’s back.

Designed to be read side by side -- one from the left and the other from the right -- these intriguing stories are told entirely through richly detailed collage illustrations. It is a wordless picture book that speaks volumes about culture – both similarities and differences. I like the fact that Jeanne, a native of Sydney of Australia, traveled to Morocco and experienced the culture, the sights and the sounds, as well as the friendliness and warm hospitality of the people there. These people (as did others I stayed with) invariably took a bit of an interest, contributing to show how things should be portrayed to be reasonably authentic: and some role playing and acting out evolved from their involvement.I also use a lot of deep blue … a colour I strongly associate with both Sydney and Morocco as it reflects the beautiful deep blue of their skies.

Here I mirror an equally arduous journey, as father and son, travel in their yellow van, through the torturous Sydney traffic, with all its traffic jams, turmoil, obstructions, delays, rules, speed cameras and unpredictability. It was like a dream… We were woken at about 3am by one of the girls shouting to us from outside Fadma’s window. The clothing they wear and the food they eat may be different, but both begin the day by dressing, and by having the breakfasts prepared by their mothers.Two diverse cultures, countries and families are linked with warmth and charm in this two-in-one picture book. The book is a great tool for striking up conversations with your child about poverty and wealth, simplicity and technology, rural and urban settings. Page by page, we experience the lives of two little boys one from an urban family in Sydney, Australia, the other from Morocco.

Visit the carpet Gallery in Kalaat M’Gouna (the small town at the entrance of the Valley of Roses) and speak with the Berber family who own it and live here.This resource provides Super Six activities on Mirror by Jeannie Baker, and is suitable for an upper primary classroom (approx Year 3-6). Also in promoting the work, when an Australian image is shown, we have stipulated that its Moroccan equivalent is shown alongside it. The Americans are all in very different clothes while the Arabians dress in different head coverings of similar fabrics. In this unique book, the story of a family in Australia is paralleled with a family in Morocco using side-by-side open-out texts, the story entirely told in Baker's unique artwork. Having lived in Southern Texas for five months, I found it to be a unique culture– even very different than other parts of the state.

Also, the weaving of the carpet made by the Moroccan family ending up in the Australian home as a 'magic carpet' seems very inappropriate and culturally insensitive. Yes, I’m hoping to remember this book again when the girls are a little older and can understand a bit more, but it was worth it just to check out the cool chickens! And soon we had arranged to meet at 3am the next morning, though I would need to find a mule to ride on. This innovative picture book comprises two stories designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left, the other from the right.I came away with the understanding I could do almost whatever I wanted re the carpet in my story … that there are no particular colours and designs relating to the Valley of Roses … and anyway the wife of the man in my story could come from a village elsewhere and bring her style of weaving with her.