Friday 9 December 2011

Cottonwool Colin














Dynamic Duo Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross can always be relied on for a good yarn, and Cottonwool Colin's relatively simple central theme - about an over-protective mum - might ring a few bells with some of you. 


Cottonwool Colin is the smallest mouse in the mouse family. His brothers and sisters are all bigger, and his mum worries about Colin a lot. After a throwaway comment from Granny Mouse, Mother Mouse decides that the best way to protect Colin from the outside world is to wrap him up in cotton wool. 

Poor Colin struggles on with his life until a revelatory series of events show Colin, and his mum, that being wrapped up in cotton wool will only get you so far. 



It's such a simple idea but so beautifully executed by Willis and Ross. Superb reading and Ross' trademark scratchy colourful drawings really help to bring the simple tale to life. 


Charlotte's best bit - Colin being mistaken for a snowball


Daddy's favourite bit - Poor Colin being mistaken for a meringue by a hungry swan. 


Rating - 4 out of 5 stars