A review of "Cloud Tea Monkeys", written by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham and illustrated by Juan Wijngaard

Hi there People in the Ether,

   Sorry for the silence; summer and various events got in the way lately.

   This is a sincere and serene tale inspired by legends from the Himalayas.

   Peet and Graham set their tale among the lady tea pickers on an Indian tea plantation - they live and work in the lower reaches of the mountains, gazing at the mystical clouds that hang over the upper peaks.

   A little girl, Tashi, accompanies her mother to work each day and steals away to be with a troupe of monkeys. When her mother becomes ill, Tashi thinks she will pick tea so that the doctor's bills can be paid. But the basket is bigger than she is, and the overseer is mean. Tashi seeks refuge with her simian friends, and while she weeps, they take the basket and disappear beyond the cloud into the upper reaches of the mountains. They return with a basket full of beautiful, unusual tea leaves. The imperious but gentle Royal Tea Taster happens by the plantation and is impressed with Tashi's haul - he knows the harvesters were monkeys and he knows the leaves are cloud tea, a very rare treasure. Thasi's miracle has arrived.

   The story is conjured in a beautiful, gentle, bewitchingly traditional tone - it's like a classical fairy tale or A Thousand and One Nights episode. Tashi is sweet and brave, and her monkey companions are full of character but never anthropomorphised. The writers have chosen tender phrases and descriptions of colours that are very evocative of the landscape and Imperial era.

   The illustrations are very vibrant, rich and enchanting. Wijngaard uses both oil artwork and line drawings to bring the plantation, the women and the animals to life in glorious rubies, emeralds and sapphires. I especially love the pencil sketches of the Tea Taster's various faces as he samples the cloud tea - looking "like a man who'd seen an angel".
   It's a pleasing package too - the designer has employed a very traditional page layout throughout with text and plate-like illustrations complimenting the traditional style of the story. The cover is moody and beautiful, and the paper is a lovely weight and a milky shade.

   So, ultimately, this is a longer, layered story, full of detailed descriptions and sophisticated turns of phrase, and would probably speak more to readers of six years and older.

   Thanks for reading,
          LJ

A review of "Farmer Clegg's Night Out" written by Peter Bently and illustrated by Jim Field

Hi Folks in the Smoke,
   Bently and Field's new offering is giggly and fun, but it's no Cats Ahoy - more's the pity.

   Famer Clegg wearily retires for the evening, but in his barn the animals are gathering for a rustic talent show, the "Tractor Factor". There are some wonderful acts, a break-dancing equine, a body-popping bovine and a group of serenading porcines. There are twin sheep, reminiscent of recent TV show fan favouites, and a cranky judge on the panel, to boot. But the surprising finale features a sleep-dancing Clegg who steals the show.

   Bently's turn of phrase and twist of rhyme are as lovely as ever. But this tale lacks the joyous surprise conclusion of earlier hits, I'm afraid. I did love the Honky Tonk Geese, though, they reminded me of the flock on my garndparents' farm.

   Field's illustrations are detailed and brimming with character. The animals are wonderful and the hidden jokes are fun to spot, in particular the bashful ugly duckling and the ingenious auditorium snacks of grass-in-bags.

   While "Farmer Cleggs's Night Out" is an enjoyable story, I'm slightly worried it might not have the longevity of previous Bently stories as it's talent show references might date it quickly.

   Thanks for reading,
          LJ

A review of "The Hueys in The New Jumper" by Oliver Jeffers

Hey there, People in the Ether,

   Oliver Jeffers' latest irresistible and witty creation is about a breed of creatures called the Hueys.

   In a world of Hueys, where every Huey looks, thinks and acts the same, one Huey called Rupert decides he wants to proclaim his individuality, he wants to be different from the crowd. He knits himself a rather fetching orange, zig-zaggy jumper and, though this freakish behaviour is initially frowned-upon, the other Hueys soon catch on. First up, Rupert's best friend  who "thought being different was interesting". Soon all the Hueys have, like sheep, followed the trend and are all sporting the orange woolly jumpers. Now that everybody is different, they are all the same again. But, luckily Rupert has a snazzy accessory with which to rectify the frustrating situation.

   Jeffers' artwork is sparse, mostly simple line drawings with bursts of colour for the orange jumpers. There are occasional pages drenched in background colour and they lift the sequence nicely. The Hueys are bean-like creatures with few features but plenty of little muttered statements, thought bubbles and furrowed brows to indicate emotion. They have strange hands and naturally, for Jeffers, no feet though they do possess excellently scribbled shadows. And, as ever, the hand lettering of the text is warm and charismatic.

   I do adore Jeffers, his quirky illustrations and witty, charming stories. And though this is a simpler, sparser story it is still engaging and enjoyable. The Hueys were inspired by the fact that Jeffers' grandfather, who is grandfather and great-grandfather to many, terms each of his gaggle of grandchildren and great-grandchildren "Huey".

   Personally, I found added pleasure in this story because Rupert's best friend is called Gillespie, which just happens to be my surname! So, when I turned to that spread for the first time, the discovery made me squeal - and my squeal, as my boyfriend can attest, is super loud and super pitchy. It made my day. And I agree with my name sake, in picture books as in life, being different is most definitely interesting.

     Thanks for reading,

           LJ

A review of "Goldilocks and Just the One Bear" by Leigh Hodgkinson

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   Leigh Hodgkinson reunites the domestic terrorist Goldilocks and the sweet, innocent Baby Bear-as-was in this role reversal story. 

 

   He has grown up and is now an independent loner, he's "Just the One Bear". He gets a little muddled, though, and loses his way. Bear wanders from his woodland home to a bustling, fairytale version of New York - replete with signs announcing the likes of the "Fairy Godmother Theatre" and "Princess Avenue".

   In his dizziness, he seeks shelter in an ivory tower, wheeling through the foyer and up many floors until he finds himself in a luxurious apartment. His search for porridge is in vain, the chairs are bizarre and the beds are far from ideal. Until he settles on a cozy one that's just a tad too small.

   From his deep, dreamy slumber, Bear becomes aware that a mummy type person, a daddy type person and a little person have returned to the home and they are aghast at the havoc the uninvited guest has wrecked.

   When they discover him under the duvet, however, home-owner rage melts into recognition as the mummy person and the Bear stare into each others' eyes and remember their last encounter - when Goldilocks was the interloper and the Bear family was the injured party. This reunion leads to a pleasant evening of porridge and bonding before Bear, now equipped with a map and NYC souvenirs, ventures home.

   The story is charming - quite a simple idea, beautifully executed. The language is vibrant and lovingly phrased. And the font choices compliment the emotion and action wonderfully. The characters are perfect, really well imagined and stylishly depicted.

   Hodgkinson's cut-out multimedia artwork is full of spark, texture and delicious colours. The world is a wonderful mix of chic metropolitan sketches and warm characters . Her background in animation lends these illustrations a great stop-motion quality - it all feels very alive, as if everything is just about to move and we've captured the perfect moment in each scene.

   This is a fun and wry exploration of old acquaintances and of karma. And it might encourage little readers to imagine what their favourite characters do after a story finishes and a book closes - great stuff.

   Thanks for reading,

       LJ

A review of "The Secret Hen House Theatre" by Helen Peters

Hey there, People in the Ether,

   This debut novel is based on the author's childhood experiences of farm life and amateur theatre.

   Hannah longs to be a playwright, a director, an actress. It's a way to feel connected to her deceased mother and to escape the sadness of her father, the mayhem of a ramshackle farmyard, three taxing siblings, many animals and some annoying school mates. Her partner in thespianism is best friend Lottie. Together they write a play, design costumes and build a clandestine theatre in a long forgotten hen house. They recruit the eccentric sisters and brother and overcome disasters, peer problems and parental disapproval to stage the play as part of a local arts festival.

    Meanwhile, the dilapidated but charming farm is under threat as rents sky rocket, funds evaporate and catastrophe strikes. Hannah hatches many plans to help her father and preserve the farm. Will any of them succeed?

 

   This is a heartwarming story told lovingly and with great conviction. Hannah is a charming protagonist, a bit egotistical, flawed and confused, she is a believable pre-teen. I enjoyed how Peters drew the other kids and adults, they are three dimensional - especially Hannah's father who is trapped by his grief, money worries and prone to swearing (though we never read any of his choice vocabulary). The farmyard is effectively evoked. The theatre theme never turns too lovey nor does the DIY become too Swallows-and-Amazons-y. Everything is very nice and neat and tidy by the close but that is forgivable because of the pleasant read and the fact that there are some choice scenes of pre-teen drama and mild violence thrown in for good measure.

    I very much enjoyed this novel, though it is at the young and innocent end of the YA market. It wears that youth and innocence lightly. I look forward Helen Peters' future work.

     Thanks for reading,
           LJ

A review of "FArTHER" by Grahame Baker-Smith

Hello Folks in the Smoke,

   "FArTHER" is a beautiful, mesmerising book with an aching story. It won the Kate Greenaway medal last year for its inventive, dreamlike illustrations.

   Baker-Smith digitally creates worlds of reach-out-and-touch quality; they are magical, dimensional and stirring. The story itself is timeless, we're not sure when it's set but it doesn't really matter. It's haunted by ancient ideals, renaissance invention and the spectre of warfare. It's a rewiring of Daedalus and Icarus.

   The boy of the story is bewildered by his father's fascination with flight. It's his father's obsession to reach further but it means that he is removed from his son, farther away from him even though he is always nearby. He slaves away like a Wright brother, building beautiful but flawed flying contraptions. Occasionally he remembers his son and they have special days, lovely adventures, but they end all too soon when the obsession returns. The boy seems confused by this and aches for his father's company and attention.

   Before achieving his dream, the boy's father is called away to war. He leaves their clifftop home, passing along a lane of poppies, dressed in a WWI era uniform. The father never returns but instead he and his dream haunt the boy. When the boy grows to young manhood he takes on his father's ventures and he succeeds, soaring high above their home. It's not clear whether he does this as a homage to his father or whether he is equally bewitched by the challenge. He then becomes a father himself and wonders what will ensnare his son.

   Baker-Smith's art manages to be both detailed and panoramic in the same breath. The blend of textures and colours is powerful and evocative, especially so when the weather is showcased and pathetic fallacy is at play. The characters are gleamingly moon-faced, godlike creatures and the inventions are rendered with such dexterity and realism that you want to grasp them. The house and cliff top setting are cinematic. I loved the detail-laden spreads, especially when the teenaged boy undertakes the mission; while text simply reads "I took up the old wings, made a few simple adjustments" in the image we see the contrast in characters so clearly. This is a much more organised workbench, the boy is a different man than his father though he pursues the same dream. Its subtle and all the stronger for its subtly. 

   Ultimately, this is a father and son story (the mother and wife only appear occasionally). It's about how preoccupation pulls us out of moments, out of relationships. It's an examination of how fathers and sons relate to each other, and perhaps is of the opinion that sons only understand their fathers when they themselves have sons. It is about frustrated dreams, the loss of and grieving for a loved one, the torturous emotions of being a parent's child and being a child's parent.

   So, while the artwork is captivating and glorious with ready appeal for tiny, inquisitive eyes, I think the story is more for the adult reader - but that's the hallmark of a damn good picture book, it works on different levels. 

   Thank for reading,

         LJ 

A review of "Itch" by Simon Mayo

Hey Folks in the Smoke,

   "Itch" is an impressive debut, realised with an easy style, populated by intriguing characters and propelled by a combustible plot.

   I am ever-wary of novels penned by celebrities. But I couldn't resist giving this the benefit of the doubt, mainly because I've a soft spot for geek chic.

   "Itch" tells the story of the perilous fortune that befalls Itchingham Loft, a budding element hunter, when he acquires some unidentified rocks. He's trying to collect samples of each of the elements on the Periodic Table but gets much more than he bargains for when he purchases these from his dealer - an as-yet-undiscovered and highly radioactive element, one that any number of nefarious adults would love to possess. There then ensues a rollicking tale of danger, intrigue, business tyrants, scientific sell-outs, noble researchers, violence, radiation poisoning, international terrorists, many explosions and teenage heroics.

   It's lively, fun, witty, clever and absorbing. The science is solid but never laid on too thickly, it's pitched perfectly. Mayo doesn't pander to his young audience, he drops hints, he leaves things unexplained in the hope that if their paying attention and suitably interested they'll find more out. His vocab is nicely diverse and suitably challenging when the situation calls for it. He weaves an interesting family dynamic, and I really loved that 14 year old Itch's companion and best friend is his female cousin, Jack. No rude boys or girly girls or sickly crushes here. While Itch himself is a socially awkward but brave, moral and layered character. The adults are believable; by turns, they are flawed, insecure, workaholic, loving, tender, funny, sweary (though we never hear the swears), violent and complicated. Those are the strongest aspects of "Itch", the plot isn't see-through and the characters are complex.

   Mayo's style is deceptively fluid and it's a pleasure to read, he does have a lovely turn of phrase. And you get the impression he really loves Itch. His dialogue is strong and current, and at no point condescending. There was one clawing moment, after the climax, but I'll totally forgive him that. "Itch" is a thrilling read full of heart-pumping chases and ingenious plans, but it also has interesting themes and explores what Itch's passion costs him and those around him. It feels gritty, authentic and refreshing. I look forward to more Itch adventures (a follow-up is due next year) and to Mayo strengthening his writing voice and interests.

    Thanks for reading,

          LJ