Picture books are not usually my subject here but this October has brought along one so stunning that I cannot resist recommending it. I am sure it will appeal to readers from about 7yrs upwards.
Jackie Morris
I have long been an admirer of Jackie Morris who has already produced many glorious books. Not the least of these was the huge The Lost Words (huge in so many ways), where she created the stunning artwork that complements Robert Macfarlane’s remarkable nature ‘spells’. However she is herself an occasional writer, as well as a supremely talented artist, and it is the text that she contributes here.
The Panda’s Child is a relatively short story, albeit in three chapters, yet its words somehow succeed in being simple and lyrical whilst conveying intense power and potency. They speak of bonds; of the bond between mother and child, both human and animal, but also particularly of the bond between child and nature. Then they also speak of the way men, with their greed for money and their urge to dominate, break that bond. An element of feminism underlies the telling, but it is not strident. Yet it is the men/merchants/soldiers in the tale who seek who replace bonds with bars, to restrain and exploit wild, free nature. The mother, and particularly the child, represent all those who carry the hope of freeing, re-wilding nature, re-establishing the natural ties. Jackie Morris’ shows that wild nature can be fierce, as well as cuddling and warm, but it is a wildness that nurtures its own, just as the child loves and cherishes it.
Cathy Fisher
However, despite the quality of Jackie Morris’ writing and the importance of her message, it is Cathy Fisher’s illustrations that are the really glory of this book. Publishers Otter-Barry Books also deserve much credit for enhancing these with outstanding production values. On quality paper, they give the glorious images space, so that, from the stunning endpapers (delicate night at the beginning and radiant light at the end), to the glorious full-page images and textless double spreads, they impact with their impressive scale. Cathy Fisher’s scenes capture the same combination of sensitivity and power of the text, but amplified manifold. Out of hazy backgrounds, delicate yet so expressive images of human figures and animals emerge. And the faces. Such faces. Such transparency of emotion and care. Here is an example of the way the very best ‘illustrations’ are so much more. They glow from the pages and not only complement the text, illuminating the narrative, but add to it deeply affecting levels of richness and depth.
Their gift, our gift, your gift
This is, at heart, a book with a simple message. But it is a message that needs to be heard over and over. It is a book to have, to keep and to share, but, perhaps most of all, to give. Many children will grow in it, and with it - and love it., for years to come.