Picture Books: July 2006 Archives

The story charts the history of the red kite in Britain beginning with the legendary veneration of the birds by the King of England who praised their ability to keep clean the streets of London but moving through to the disparagement they suffered at the hands of farmers and game-keepers who believed them responsible for the death of too much poultry and their eventual extermination in both England and Scotland.

Moving into Granny Sarah’s own past, the story tells of the last mating pair of red kites in Wales who nested in an old oak tree at the bottom of her childhood farm. The pair are threatened as a child endeavours to earn a little money from an egg-collector by raiding the nest. Quick thinking and determination on the part of Granny Sarah are able to save the brood, however and the young are reared successfully, securing the fate of the red kite in Wales.

A fact sheet about the red kite is included within the book providing facts about the birds, where they might be sighted and directing readers to sites for further information.

Childhood nostalgia and Malacy Doyle’s awareness of the importance of stories combine to make this a particularly heart-warming book. The story is empowering in that it stimulates recognition that as part of a community we can all play a role in conserving the diversity of our countryside and the heritage of our land. The red kite itself is a perfect and inspiringly powerful motif to capture this and Petra Brown’s soaring illustrations fully realise this.

Each double-page spread features a large illustration – the type with such minute detail that means they can be pored over for hours by those with eager eyes! The illustrations bleed into a white footer within which the narrative is told utilising a mixture of text and snapshot illustration providing vignettesin a hybridisation of the picture book and graphic novel forms. Maps included within the footer section make it possible to chart the family’s journeys and adventuring and give an ‘as it happens’ feel.

A big thank you also to Allen and Unwin for detailing the illustration techniques used within the book – in this case dip pen and watercolour – if only all publishers would follow suite. This is a picture book with a fresh and funny style.

Published by Frances Lincoln in conjunction with the National History Museum, “Dino-Dinners” ties in with the opening of the museum’s new family exhibition “Dino Jaws”. Granström and Manning have joined forces here to outline the dietary delectations of numerous dinosaurs. These are told in verses alongside illustrations of the giant lizards dining.

Each dinosaur entry is supplemented by a black-and-white illustrated fact box, providing pronunciation details for their names, the time period in which they lived, their size and other facts. This is a great first book about dinosaurs and one that will have you coming back to find out more time after time.

Poo is the new black in children’s literature and, as is the inevitable conclusion with even the most delicious dining experience, this book ends with a great dino-dollop of the stuff…

End papers are a remarkably reminiscent abstract of collage material evoking grasslands, the horizon and the wide expanse of sky. This rich and multi-layered technique of collage forms the backdrop for each of the pages with coloured pencil and ink being used to overlay additional fine detail. The resultant illustrations effervesce with all the energy and humorous expression familiar to followers of Granström and Manning’s work.

The text brims with playful good humour and chuckles along delighting in the variety and range of the English language, establishing a rhythmic pace that makes this an ideal book for reading aloud and for performance.