Friday 3 November 2017

ReadItDaddy's First Picture Book of the Week - Week Ending 3rd November 2017 - "Pretty" by Canizales (Templar Publishing)

Our picture book of the week this week is an absolutely PERFECT witchy book, this one, why shouldn't halloween go on a bit longer, eh?
"Pretty" by Canizales is one of those books that you completely fall in love with the moment you clap eyes on the cover, hoping that the insides are every bit as good as the frontspiece.

Rest assured, that is most definitely the case as a rather thought-provoking and clever story unfolds, of a witch who fixes up an online date with Ogre.

The two agree to meet for a picnic, but then self-doubt seizes our witchy hero, as she begins to panic about her appearance.

She asks various forest friends for advice on what she should wear and what she should look like - and little by little the potato-nosed hunch-backed old crone changes into a younger-looking flame-haired witchy temptress.

But there's a hitch, when she shows up for her date, Ogre is not best pleased at all - certainly not the reaction she was expecting.

Can the witch save the day? Will true warty love win out?

We fell so completely in love with this book, and the core message it conveys with mirth and a surprising amount of sensitivity. It's a lovely moral tale about loving the skin you're in, and hoping that others accept you for who you are, not what you could be with a dollop of makeup and a slinky dress.

Utterly brilliant.

Charlotte's best bit: The witch's reaction when she realises she's just completely ruined the date! EEKS!

Daddy's favourite bit: So much to love about this, from the amazing art to the gorgeous core message it conveys, and our favourite witch since Winnie. So good this, so very very good!

(Kindly supplied for review)

"Pretty" by Canizales is out now, published by Templar. 
(Review edited to remove non-final images - Apologies to Templar / Canizales for including these)