Grandad's Star, written by Frances Tosdevin, illustrated by Rhian Stone, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

 

A gorgeous silky hardback book with thick paper that carries images and text sharing a poignant and lovely story with us. 

Rhian Stone’s gentle pictures capture dear Grandad’s love for sharing his knowledge and excitement about space and planets and stars whilst giving us such a sense of his vast subject … and then the closing in of Grandad’s memory as time passes. 

Frances Tosdevin’s kind and insightful story shows how Grandad’s wonder, determination and knowledge is passed on his grandchild. Her first-person narrative by that little girl reflects the confusion and sadness as she observes Grandad failing, finally to even forgetting her name. But she can return the favour he has done her, now showing and naming for him the stars in the sky. She even names one after him, fulfilling his dream; the Alpha Grandadi Loveliest. Throughout we see the middle generation mum kindly enabling both young and old. 

What an uplifting depiction of family love.  

The Bear and her Book: There's More To See, written by Frances Tosdevin, illustrated by Sophia O'Connor, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

Who is in the mood for a book with some sparkle on the cover, and the warmth of kindness, friendship, and beauty inside? 

 

A Bear curled up on a winter’s night.

The air was crisp and the stars were bright.

She opened her Book of Being Wise,

And saw a bear under Arctic skies.

It wasn’t brown and it had no book,

And it wore a sad and lonely look …’

 

… so our bookshop living bear sets out once more to explore. Being the Bear she is, she helps others en route, helping a humpback whale, a moose, and a muskox, looking in her book to find answers to their worries. But what about that other bear?

 

‘She saw a bear with a different look,

Who said, ‘I just want to read a book.

A great big book – with lots of pages, 

To keep me busy and last me ages!’

 

And the two bears realise that, whilst they might look different, they are kindred spirits as lovers of books to feed their curiosity … just as we, meeting on this blog, find friendship in our common love of books!

 

Beautiful pictures, and a comfort of a story told in rollicking rhyme; a treat. 

An Artist's Eyes, written by Frances Tosdevin and illustrated by Clemence Bonnet, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

 

The thought at the heart of this story is beautifully simple and simply beautiful. When Jo is upset that he can't see things the same way as artist Mo does, she teaches him the he has his own artist's eyes which see uniquely. Here's a taste of the glorious artwork -

Enjoy!