"Which started the tap, tap,
tapping of a symphony,
the painting of
beautiful pictures
and the construction of a
strong and mighty castle."
Left to their own devices, children often prove to be an extremely creative bunch. The proof is in the puddling in this new book by Alison Hughes, whose writing is an homage to the ability of children to find joy in simple pleasures.
On one spring morning, three friends head to the park where nothing much appears to be happening. A man is reading on a park bench; a cyclist is pumping up a hill; one child is swinging while another is resting beside a skateboard. It's a pretty ordinary day. But ... as the wind rustles the leaves, the three (and their dog) take inspiration from that movement to begin a dance of their own.
As others join their merry dance, a baby and her mother clap with delight and the man on the bench gets up to follow them. Each turn of the page adds to the joy that the children now assembled are finding in being outside, and using their creative spirits to imagine a stage for their music, a castle, a passing ship, and games of all kinds. It isn't long until they lead a joyous parade along a park path and find a spot to rest up and watch 'the shifting stories in the sky'.
Too soon, the sunset calls them home where they will sleep and dream of daytime adventure and what might happen another fine day. Oh, the possibilities! Mixed-media artwork is filled with movement and joy. Nature acts as a backdrop while the park inhabitants use every element to create a world that is exciting, true to their imaginations, and really quite magical.
No comments:
Post a Comment