In The Bush

Roland Harvey

Allen and Unwin

1741145929

Jun 2006

The hustle, bustle and jostling of family life are perfectly presented in Roland Harvey’s ‘In the Bush’. The narrative voices of five family members are successfully interwoven in this picture books, giving a meticulous multi-dimensional account of a family camping holiday with dad’s insistent needs concerning the campsite, Uncle Kevin’s dare devil deeds and Frankie’s exuberance about pretty much everything.
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.