Over the last year there have been a number
of celebrations, celebrations of book birthdays and anniversaries and in 2014
this is set to continue, as we started the year there were anniversaries for a
number of books, some quite young, some much older. Now that we have come to May it is time to
celebrate 75 years of T.S. Eliot’s Mcavity
The Mystery Cat (Faber and Faber)! Mcavity is probably one of the most famous
of criminal cats and he has obviously been lucky enough to have more than 9
lives, being such a grand old age, which means that a new young audience of
readers can enjoy his escapades as he is brought to life again with delightful
illustrations by Arthur Robins. Mcavity can usually be found in T S Eliot’s
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats
but he has been given new life in his own picture book. This is the perfect combination of pictures
and poetry, the second charming picture book from the new Faber and Faber
list. It is as clever a creation as it
was when T S Eliot first imagined his trickster cat and it is truly a
delight. This cat will have children and
adults giggling, learning at the youngest age how enjoyable poetry can be and
pouring over the glorious detail in each and every picture, not wanting to turn
the page until they have drunk in every little detail – and there are plenty to
see. Baffling, funny, rhyming – a delight for a
new generation of Mcavity fans.
Whilst we celebrate the anniversary of
Mcavity we should also take some time to remember those authors who are sadly
no longer with us but whose books continue to inspire, enthral and touch us
with their beauty. One such book that
has inspired and touched me this bank holiday weekend is Jim’s Lion by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Alexis Deacon
(Walker Books). Telling in graphic and
prose the story of a little boy needing a life-saving operation and the power
of dreams this is a modern fable with a dark magic that has been stunningly
captured by Deacon and his pen. I was
moved by the power of the pictures and comforted by the words. This is a winning combination of writing and
drawing that is evocative and important, for children and adults alike. This is a book to comfort those in pain and
fear but to also help us all understand the importance of letting a little
magic into our lives.
Then finally for today at least, there was The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King (Allen & Uwin) another book with a dark
heart but a light touch and an important fable to tell us all. This is the story of a sorry and dark
underground land where light is but a distant memory until a wounded duck
brings hope and solace. Mended and well
she finds her wings and prepares to fly the nest but with her go the people of
Dark, whose hearts she has touched and for whom she has a quite beautiful
surprise. Cleverly crafted, perfect for
newly independent readers and as a moral tale this is a book to return to again
and again, reiterating its message and enjoying its beauty.
