ReadItDaddy's Third Book of the Week - Week Ending 5th October 2018: "The Ink House" by Rory Dobner (Laurence King Publishing)

We're truly spoiled for choice with amazing books at this time of year, so we're squeezing a third Book of the Week in this week. You lucky people!
"The Ink House" by Rory Dobner tales a pretty bold step in children's picture book terms.

We've always wondered whether there would be room for a book that ditched the usual 'cutesy-pie' highly coloured illustrations in favour of a more gracious art form that I've got personal links with, have loved for years, and have passed on a bit of that love to my daughter.

Ink illustrations are just amazing, and my great great (possibly another one or two greats in there) uncle used to draw the most amazing political cartoons for Punch magazine, with a dip-pen and ink (google Phil May Punch Magazine for a flavour of the sort of stuff he used to do).

Some of that's obviously rubbed off on me - I love drawing with ink and dip pen too but we're letting this glorious book get away from us - so let's take a proper look at Rory's amazing work.

"The Ink House" is the story of  a mysterious mansion belonging to an artist.  Built on a magical pool of ink, this amazing house inspires creativity in anyone who lives there.

That includes the mice who live in the walls of the house - and each year when the artist treks off on his annual adventures, he leaves the house - not realising that the mice host the most amazing Annual Ink House Extravaganza in his absence.

Beautiful, beautiful inky illustrations on every spread. 

As you'd expect from an accomplished author-artist like Rory, the ink illustrations are full of the most imaginative and exquisite detail.

The vaults above the river of ink on which the house is built. Never run out of art supplies living here!

The story is really appealing, and covers a nice wide age range so good for littlies and older kids like my daughter. The exquisite prose flows along with all the ease of words or lines from your favourite pen, but without a doubt it's the visual look of this book that's the biggest draw - and congratulations to Laurence King Publishing for picking up and running with such an interesting, intriguing and original book.

An artistic Des-Res. This is what I wish ReadItDaddy Towers looked like :)

There are so many things to love about this book, even the way Rory plays with prose and text within the design of the book really does help it to stand out amongst the usual kids titles on shelves (not to mention the fabulous inlaid cover too).

I think this is destined to become one of those books that's cherished, kept and passed down through the generations personally.

C's best bit: All the escapades of the little mice in the story.

Daddy's favourite bit: So much love for a book that celebrates and uses an art form I've loved for years so effectively, making it stand out and making readers take notice. Beautifully written, gorgeously illustrated and quite the bold move to publish something like this. Well done all!

"The Ink House" by Rory Dobner is out now, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review).