She twines the fantasy of animals dressed as humans and operating in a human society with references to real products, familiar to Brit children,Hovis bread, Sharp's toffee, Typhoo tea, and scenes like this one of a narrow street in a cathedral town, while elsewhere there's a reference to the white horse on the chalk Downs. It just seems very likely, as you get into her world, that Toad's adventures are historical fact.
Definitely recommended for children of any age.
As a small child, the books I liked the most were the ones with complicated interesting graphics, like these. I would spend as much time staring at the pictures as I did reading them. Maybe more.
ReplyDeleteThere was always something new to see.
And this looks like a marvelous book.
For various historic reasons I had little experience of picture books as a little kid, so I'm having a lovely time filling those gaps now. It's a good world to play in especially right now.
ReplyDeleteAuthor and illustrator James Mayhew posts a #bookillustrationoftheday on twitter, which has brought many old and new favorites to my eyes. I don't know if they are all children's books, but they may well be. All the ones that really caught my attention have been, so far.
ReplyDeleteI explained some time ago that it was his Twitter account that got me started on this adventure! you may have missed it. He's very happy I'm following, to make up for my lack of access to picture books in a wartime childhood.
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