ACHUKAblog
Inspired by the dark imagination of Edward Gorey, Envious Siblings is a twisted and hauntingly funny debut. Comics artist Landis Blair interweaves absurdist horror and humour into brief, rhyming vignettes at once transgressive and hilarious. In Blair’s surreal universe, a lost child watches as bewhiskered monsters gobble up her fellow train passengers; a band of children merrily play a gut-churning game with playground toys; and two sisters, grinning madly, tear each other apart. These charmingly perverse creations take ordinary settings-a living room, a subway car, a playground-and spin them in a nightmarish direction.
“Cannibalism, gruesome death and the mistreatment of minors abound in this book, all illustrated in obsessively cross-hatched detail. The Envious Siblings won’t be to every young person’s taste, but those of a darker bent may find it grotesquely appealing, like a jack-o’-lantern that’s just started to rot.” FT
Quentin Blake’s delightfully funny story is brought to life by Emma Chichester Clark’s beautiful mixed-media illustration in this follow up to Three Little Monkeys.
From the multi award-winning creator of the Meerkat Mail, this gorgeous festive treat is full of Christmas card flaps to lift, as Sunny the meerkat travels the world in the search of the perfect Christmas.
Sunny wants a white Christmas, with a decorated tree, carols and sprouts for dinner … none of which he can see at home in the Kalahari desert. So off he heads to find the perfect Christmas elsewhere, before realizing that maybe Christmas isn’t all about the trimmings.
One of the first two titles in a 6 book series for 5 and over from Oxford Children’s Books, all written by Paula Harrison and illustrated by Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner Jenny Lovlie.
The other title is…
Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue
Both have illustrations predominantly in orange and black throughout, with some pleasing gold metallic shininess on the front covers. Further titles planned for 2020.
The two titles together would make a great gift.
Illustrator website: http://lovlieillustration.com
Illustrator Instagram: http://lovlieillustration.com/instagram
A classic gift compendium of highlights from the Hughes oeuvre focusing on early childhood concepts such as colours and opposites. Delightfully giftable.
Never before published in a standalone volume, Beatrix Potters’ delightfully dark adaptation of the original fairy tale is perfectly complemented by the light and shade of Helen Oxenbury’s magical pictures. A rediscovered gem from the illustrious Potter archive.
“This being Potter, she makes it even darker than the original; the wolf, drawn as a sly old dandy by Oxenbury, will make little bones shake.” Alex O’Connell, THE TIMES
Times Children’s Book of the Week 19 Oct 2019
Paul returns home from school one day to discover a tiny ghost is living in the keyhole of his front door. He names him Zippel, and the little ghost is curious about everything, from food and clothes to how the toilet flushes! But Paul’s parents want to change the locks – can Paul find Zippel a new home in time?
ACHUKA Book of the Day Mon 9 Dec 2019
The newest picture book in the mega-bestselling Questioneers series…
Sofia Valdez fights for change and finds her voice as a community leader!
Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so.
“The series excels in presenting relatable children who often fail before succeeding, rather than fully formed heroes.” Imogen Carter, OBSERVER
ACHUKA Book of the Day Thu 21 Nov 2019
Time for Lights Out is a collection of short pieces, some funny, some melancholy, some remembering his wife who died young, others about the joy of grandchildren, of walking the dog… He looks back at his schooldays and his time as an evacuee during the war, and remembers his parents and the house in which he grew up.
“A mesmerising jumble of jokes, drawings and elderly gripes… All human life – and death – is here in this lucky dip of memories and fears, irritations and idle thoughts… [Time For Lights Out] has black humour galore…and, as always, Briggs’s drawings have a touch of magic about them, conjuring human beings and their foibles out of a few precious lines.” Craig Brown
Feature interview in The Times by Nick Tucker >>>