Ages two to seven
BOOKGUIDE
Dick Bruna leads the field (two to five) for the elegance of his drawings and the succinct cun- ning of his texts: / can read (Methuen 9s 6d) is a primer, at once urbane and subtly flat- tering, which will be a powerful comfort to anyone who can't; in Hop-o'-my-Thunth (Methuen 7s 6d), the modest good sense of the minute hero lends an air of reassurance even to this cruel and senseless fairy tale; while Cinderella (Methuen 7s 6d) is brilliantly trans- posed to the world of four year old society —note especially Cinderella's new frock for the party, her pleased expression and her match- ing yellow hair-ribbons. The romantic reader will find it a pleasure to identify with these solemn, resourceful and fiendishly accomp- lished infants.
Bodley Head Board Books (5s each): Indoors Maureen Roffey. Uncaptioned drawings of an alarm clock, a dog, a mincing machine, a sewing machine, a kettle, a half-eaten boiled egg and a telephone, boldly coloured, one to each board (8 x 6 ins.). A distinguished start to any bibliophile's career. Animal Babies Robert Broomfield. A less distinguished, muddier and somewhat sentimental start.
Wet Albert Michael and Joanne Cole (Methuen 13s 6d). Albert, in stout blue sou'- wester, oilskins and boots, lives under a cloud —his own personal raincloud—which causes some small local problems but in the end averts drought, famine, etc on an international scale. Pleasant enough, but wet in patches.
But Where is the Green Parrot? Thomas and Wand'a Zacharias (Chatto and Windus lOs 6d). An ornament to any library. Austere critics will appreciate the handsome line drawing of the frontispiece, others will prefer the clear, sharp, sweet colours or the elegance of the appointments—apple orchard, tea table, orange trees in tubs—and potential astronomers, deer- stalkers and train-spotters under four may put in same smart practice on the games of hunt- the-parrot on each page.
Flat Stanley Jeff Brown illustrated by Tomi Ungerer (Methuen 13s 6d). Ravishing tale of young Stanley Lambchop, who gets flattened but finds that being flat brings rich Compen- sations—Stanley can be stamped and posted, for example, or flown on a kite string ('He ran lightly across the grass, sideways to get up speed, and then he turned to meet the breeze'). Mr Brown has a neat turn of phrase and an exqatsite wit, happily matched by Mr Ungerer's.
Raminagrobis and the Mice Harold Berson (Macmillan I3s 6d). Bewitching fairy tale in the classical tradition, , exquisitely illustrated on chaste lavender paper, and with a properly sobering conclusion. Never was such a fulsome cat as Raminagrobis, and never was villain foiled more neatly than by these civil, eighteenth century mice in mob caps and stripy petticoats.
Tim to the Lighthouse Edward Ardizzone (ouP 16s). Nefarious doings, tremendous seas and grim battles with rough men; the day saved as always, in spite of adult sloth, by Tim, Ginger and Charlotte. May they live for ever.
The Great Automobile Club Michael O'Leary illustrated by John Haslam (Constable Young Books 12s 6d). 1905: an heroic motor race by desperate men in motoring caps, plaid capes, plus-fours and goggles; do not miss the exploits of the dashing T. P. Molloy, the intrepid Major Greville or the daredevil Wills twins. Uncommonly witty drawings.
Crack the Ant David and Stephanie Ross (Macmillan 13s 6d). A strange tale which makes no attempt to humanise, sentimentalise or see its tiny, shiny, quick brown hero on any but an insect's terms. Both text and illus- trations have that delicate, elusive, at times almost sinister flavour which the youngest naturalist will recognise from hours spent alone in long grass.
Fishes Brian Wildsmith (ouP 16s). A mighty successor to Wild Animals and Birds. These fish swim off the page from blazing seas— note the pudgy eye and streamlined build of the lunging, thick-lipped dolphin, or the effort- less glide of the dragonet fish with vile green jaw and turquoise-and-emerald fan tail, Best of all, perhaps, is 'A party of rainbow fish' —a bracelet of dazzling pink, orange, purple, yellow, plum against a sludge-black sea—or 'A stream of minnows,' twisting fishily between pied scarlet banks. A book to hook.
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