Stunning, breathtaking, wonderful. Levi Pinfold's books are genuine treasures and so our book of the week this week has to be "Greenling"...
It would be a travesty, wouldn't it? Hacking up a beautiful book to take the pages, lovingly place them in golden frames, and hang them on your wall? Yet with a book like this (and books like this really don't come along that often) you'd almost be forgiven for doing so. But we love books so much that we can't bear to think of them being destroyed even for permanent display. So enough talk about book butchery, let's gaze in awe at "Greenling".
It would be a travesty, wouldn't it? Hacking up a beautiful book to take the pages, lovingly place them in golden frames, and hang them on your wall? Yet with a book like this (and books like this really don't come along that often) you'd almost be forgiven for doing so. But we love books so much that we can't bear to think of them being destroyed even for permanent display. So enough talk about book butchery, let's gaze in awe at "Greenling".
Now, you've probably heard us talking about Levi Pinfold on this blog. Levi is an astonishing talent who makes us patiently wait between books because his books - well they take a while.
It's easy to see why. Stunning painted artwork like that doesn't just sporadically happen overnight, it takes a lot of work and in this story of a strange plant child discovered, Kalel-like, tucked away in a long forgotten corner of Barleycorn Land, you'll drink in each page spread like a fantastic vista or glorious view...
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| Mr Barleycorn discovers an unexpected crop on his farm. What a cheeky little chappie! |
The Greenling is a tiny baby, a plant-thing that Mr Barleycorn instantly takes a shine to. His wife's not sure, as she thinks this strange cuckoo-child is the sign of bad things to come. When she wakes up to find that the gurgling baby has turned her kitchen into a garden of unearthly delights, she could almost be right.
Yet Mr Barleycorn persists. He makes the baby comfortable, and as the Greenling grows, so do all the plants and shoots, fruits and vegetables, leaves and vines it brings with it.
Soon the Barleycorn homestead is utterly swamped, and worse still, the tram line behind the house becomes dangerously tangled in vines too...
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| Mr Barleycorn takes a shine to the Greenling. Ma Barleycorn really isn't too sure...! |
For an alarming moment it looks like the poor little mite is in danger as an angry mob forms - but trouble is soon diffused as folk realise that the gorgeous chubby cheery little baby brings a plentiful bounty of sumptuous food along with him, ripe melons, fiery chilis and wonderful animal life that takes up home in amongst the leaves and branches (including our favourite supporting character, the Barleycorn's big lolloping dog!)
Sometimes when we open our book parcels here at ReadItDaddy Towers, and treasures such as "Greenling" are unwrapped, there's a tiny almost psychic moment between Charlotte and myself where we look at each other and know that a book is destined for the "Book of the Week" slot before we've even opened the cover (and we're very rarely wrong). Greenaway medal winner for a reason - the only tinge of sadness is that now "Greenling" is here, we're destined for another tortuous achingly long wait for the next stunning book from Levi Pinfold. But we have a feeling it'll be well worth the wait too, just like this was.
"Greenling" by Levi Pinfold was released on September 1st 2015, published by Templar Publishing, in your local bookstore NOW!
Charlotte's best bit: So many favourite bits but she really loved picking out all the various animal species that find a home in the Greenling's new green homestead paradise.
Daddy's Favourite bit: Stunning to look at, a lullaby of a story that eases into your subconscious like a trickle of warm honey, a really spectacular and special book. If you buy one children's book this year, make it this one.
Greenling
Written and Illustrated by
Levi Pinfold
Published by Templar Publishing
Release Date: 1st September 2015
Release Date: 1st September 2015
(Kindly sent to us for review by Templar Publishing)
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"The Django" by Levi Pinfold (Templar Publishing)
"Black Dog" by Levi Pinfold (Templar Publishing)