That Time a Little WA Emu Made It Onto the BBC – With a Little Help From Shane Jacobson
There are milestones. And then there are the ones you genuinely didn't see coming.
Back in 2012, a little emu chick from Fremantle, Western Australia, made it all the way to the BBC. Where's Stripey? – The picture book written and illustrated by Wendy Binks that won the WA Premier's Literary Award for Children's Books in 2005 and went on to sell over 160,000 copies was selected as part of the BBC Worldwide CBeebies story time series. And the person chosen to read it? Shane Jacobson. Actor, larrikin, and one of Australia's most warmly recognisable voices.
It's a pairing that makes complete sense the moment you hear it.
A Self-Published Picture Book From Fremantle That Travelled the World
Where's Stripey? has always had a way of going further than anyone expected. Starting life as a self-published picture book through Stunned Emu Press – Wendy's own Fremantle-based imprint – it found its way into schools and libraries right across Perth, Western Australia, and the rest of the country. It toured Australia's east coast as a live theatre production. It lives permanently on the walls of the children's ward at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth. And in May 2012, it aired on BBC CBeebies, reaching children in lounge rooms across the UK and beyond.
That's the thing about a great book. It doesn't stay in one place.
Which, when you think about it, is rather fitting for a story about an emu chick who absolutely refuses to be found.
Who Is Shane Jacobson?
If you've seen Kenny – and if you haven't, honestly, fix that – you already know what Shane Jacobson brings to everything he does. Warmth. Humour. A completely disarming naturalness. He's the kind of storyteller who makes children lean in without realising they're doing it. His reading of Where's Stripey? is exactly what the book deserves – playful, genuine, and full of the kind of delight that small people respond to instantly.
Stripey, the scruffy little emu chick with attitude and a talent for disappearing at the worst possible moment, couldn't have asked for a better voice.
The video is still up, still wonderful, and still entirely capable of achieving the near-impossible: getting a small child to sit completely still for the full duration.
WATCH Where's Stripey? read by Shane Jacobson on YouTube
And Stripey's Story Is Far From Over
Twenty-one years on from first hatching, Stripey is still going strong. A fourth book is on its way in 2026 – landing right on Stripey's 21st birthday – and knowing Wendy, it'll find its way into hands, hearts, and homes all over again. From Fremantle to the rest of the world.
Some emus are just very hard to keep track of. That, as Wendy's readers know well, is rather the point.
Explore Wendy's full range of books at wendybinks.com.au
Find Wendy's art at Fremantle Markets every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Book a school author visit across Perth and Western Australia
Wendy Binks is a Fremantle-based artist, author, and illustrator – creator of the beloved Stripey the emu chick series and founder of Stunned Emu Press. Her work is available online at wendybinks.com.au, at the iconic Fremantle Markets in Perth, Western Australia, and in retailers across Australia. She visits schools and libraries across Perth, WA, and the rest of the country – and yes, she ships her books and artwork to the rest of the world.
