I'll warn you well in advance. There are going to be a LOT of books in #Booky100Keepers that will have you instantly reaching for your wallet / purse to shell out the cash for them. I won't apologise, just gently warn!

"Homer Henry Hudson's Curio Museum" by Zack Rock is one of those books that needs to be read again, and again, and again just to hoover up all the glorious and delicious little details in it. We've probably embarrassed poor Zack a number of times on Twitter, telling him just how much his books are revered here at ReaditDaddy Towers and this simple tale of a homely old bulldog might at first mislead you into thinking it's a bit of a strange, surreal and dusty tome.

But Homer Henry Hudson has a secret - many secrets in fact. Though in his advanced years he looks after a strange collection of objects, each object has a story - and a previous death-defying adventure for HHH - attached to it.

Zack's art is just so, so good. I mean right up there alongside folk like Shaun Tan and Levi Pinfold, yes, that good (Ironic then that Mr Tan fetches up in this tale, look out for him making a cameo!)

Just look at it though...I mean c'mon, how can you not fall instantly for a book like this?



All those details. Look closely, what can you spot?



We've enjoyed Zack's books many times, and he's a truly nice person to chat to on Twitter too. Snap up this book if you ever spot it, it's absolute gold.


HHH himself is such an engaging character and it's probably one of the few picture books that lets an old dog have his day, absolutely perfect when the tale draws to a gentle close with twinkly Homer Henry Hudson still with a mischievous bounce in his step as he embarks on one final adventure.

Damn, we love this.


Link to original review: Homer Henry Hudson's Curio Museum by Zack Rock (No surprise this is a Book of the Week then!)

I got home, it was late and dark outside but as soon as I opened the front door I was almost knocked flat by Charlotte, clutching this book.

"Book of the week!" she proclaimed so a little later after dinner, we snuggled up before bedtime and lost ourselves in the world of one Homer Henry Hudson.

Homer, a rheumy-eyed British Bulldog is the enchanting central character of this extremely special book. It's astonishing to think that this is Zack's first children's book (and please, PLEASE don't let it be his last) but from the outset we were completely knocked out by his illustrations in this fabulous story.

We will gush on a bit so bear with us. The illustrations aren't the only thing that won us over. Zack wears his story telling heart on his sleeve as Homer Henry Hudson shows us around his amazing collection. Every object holds a story, and soon we learn that Homer Henry Hudson might look like he's past his best, but what an astonishing past he has.

HHH meticulously describes each object in his collection and delights in the way visitors marvel at the various things in his museum. Reading each tale, our hero begins to sound like an astonishing dog. Part Indiana Jones, with a whiff of Doctor Who about him (we loved his Tom Baker scarf and Fedora) HHH ventured to every corner of the world, rescued princesses and dug deep into the earth to unlock its secrets.

Zack's influences are varied and delightful, and thrummed a deep chord of recognition with me especially. In one part of the museum I loved the fact that there's a superb homage to Rene Magritte. In another scene (blink and you'll miss it) an image that took me right back to my childhood and a book I haven't read in years, Kit Williams' sublime "Masquerade" (wouldn't it be just too fantastic to imagine Homer Henry Hudson doggedly deciphering the clues of that magnificent book and making off with the golden hare!)

Of course it's easy to leap straight to the conclusion that the rich and stunning visuals in this book wowed us, dazzled us and contributed to our decision to give this our highest accolade but Zack's descriptive prose as I adopted a gruff bulldog-like voice to read Homer Henry Hudson's narrative just flows off the page like honey on biscuits. Dang it, it really is as great as it sounds, we promise you.

Lose yourself in a long luxurious read of this, and then go back in again for another, and another, and another look to spot all the glorious references and author's nudges to his influences (oh man, that Sushi museum scene just completely blew me away as soon as I recognised who the other patrons were - see if you recognise them!)

I said we wouldn't gush on too much about it but wow, just wow! You see Charlotte was right to be excited - it's a book of the week without a doubt.

Discover more about Zack's brilliant book over at his fascinating blog.


Charlotte's best bit: She loved Henry's cracked old building (and the story behind how it came to be where it was) but most of all she utterly and completely loved spotting things she recognised and also rather liked Homer Henry Hudson's diving suit

Daddy's Favourite bit: What a glorious book! You could spend a year finding tiny little details in this that'll make you smile and say "Wow, I remember that!" but you'll truly love the way this reads, and Homer Henry Hudson's gentle self-deprecating modesty at how he acquired his truly amazing collection! We absolutely cannot wait for Zack's next book. He's up there with the greats!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Zack Rock / The Creative Company)