Bears on the Stairs - a Lovely Review

Just before I left for the conference, author Julia Jarman, my friend and co-conspirator in this wonderful world of children's books, sent me an excited email, with a link to a great review of our latest collaboration Bears on the Stairs, by the rather prestigious Books for Keeps. This is how it begins:

"Right away, from the vulgar nose-picking and tongue-poking loonies depicted on the cover, we know we’re in for some rude and naughty bears who can’t wait to give that subversive thrill kids so adore.

And the promise is rewarded for these hairy creatures romp across the pages, bar the doors and hang from the chandeliers throughout the book."

Okay, I'm showing off a bit, but we delicate creatives do need a little ego-boost now and then, to keep us going through those long afternoons, so it's really lovely to hear kind things said about our work, especially by a magazine who my hero, Philip Pullman, once described as 'the most important periodical in the world of British children's books'. Wow.

"Dynamic compositions and a jolly palette allow us to not take this anxious story too seriously, while chalky textures and simple patterns keep the images bold, and varied viewpoints keep the scale lively."

My invented side-kick, the ginger cat, which I talk about in one of my short films, even gets a specific mention:

"The characters are definitely not sweet and the cat who mirrors the boy’s feelings is wonderfully quirky."

A big 'thank you' to reviewer Jana Novotny Hunter!