  Waterstones |
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Bjarne Reuter ill Kirsten Raagaard |
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Wacky Bee |
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9780995697287 |
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April 2018 |
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paperback |
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| What a delight this book is!
It mixes a childlike wonder with generous sprinklings of adult irony that avoid breaking the spell. Elise is missing her mother, a busy architect who is far away in another country busy with a large project. Her father, a musician, is kindly but busy with busking and performing at weddings. Desperate for company, Elise yearns for a dog. Dad resists. But not for long. Part of the book’s charm, greatly enhanced by the illustrations, is that it is told mainly through dialogue: Elise with her father; Elise with the dog; Elise with her aunt; Elise with Miss Martini, a Chinese neighbour who “folded the most beautiful roses made of the finest silk paper while listening to old Jim Reeves records.” Elise names her dog Prince Valiant, but he maintains he already has a name – McAduddi – and that he hails from Tobermory in Scotland. It turns out that he has a penchant for singing sea shanties about Highland Park malt whisky. The book will be a strong contender for ACHUKA’s Book fo the Month slot, when it is published in April. |
