Once Upon a Small Rhinoceros

“Don’t you wish,” said the small rhinoceros, “that you could see the world?” And so begins this delightful picture book by award-winning creators Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge.


Once, there was a small rhinoceros who wanted to see the big world. So she built a boat. And sailed away ...

From the duo behind award-winning picture book No Bears comes a simple yet inspirational tale about challenging the norm, pushing boundaries and being true to oneself.

“...great recommendation for kids aged two to six, this book is another charming collaboration between creators Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge... McKinlay has written a strong heroine who dares to dream big and isn't swayed by the doubts of others.”

…great recommendation for kids aged two to six, this book is another charming collaboration between creators Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge... McKinlay has written a strong heroine who dares to dream big and isn’t swayed by the doubts of others. -- Suzanne Garcia Books+Publishing
With themes of independence and freedom, pushing the boundaries of what is considered 'normal' and daring to be different to fulfil your heart's desire, Once Upon A Small Rhinoceros will charm you and inspire you in equal measure. Brona's Books
The watercolour and pencil illustrations are simply charming, giving a personality to the young rhino, endearing her adventurous spirit to the readers. Readers will thoroughly enjoy recognising the countries to which she travels, spotting the iconic cultural features of each. -- Read Plus Read Plus
Once Upon a Small Rhinoceros is inspirational for all living beings, great and small. -- Boomerang Books Boomerang Books
This book perfectly illustrates the way pictures and text can work together to make a book that is greater than the sum of its parts... adventure-loving preschoolers will love little rhino and the book is ideal to introduce topics such as individuality, courage and the importance of not following the crowd. -- Bookrapt Bookrapt

Meg McKinlay grew up in Bendigo, Victoria, in a book-loving, TV- and car-free household. On the long and winding path to becoming a children’s writer, she has worked a variety of jobs including swim instructor, tour guide, translator and teacher. These days, she lives with her family near the ocean in Fremantle and divides her time between teaching and writing, a balance that swings wildly between chaos and calm. She is always busy cooking up more books and you can visit her on the web at


Leila Rudge was born in England. She moved to Australia after completing an Illustration Degree at Bath Spa University. Creating tiny characters for books is her favourite part of illustrating. In 2012, her book No Bears(written by Meg McKinlay) was short-listed for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year award in both the Picture Book and Early Childhood categories. Her first picture book as both author and illustrator, Ted, was a CBCA Notable Book. In 2017 her second book as author-illustrator, Gary, was short-listed for the CBCA awards.

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