Norman Leach

This book came into our shop in a boxful of children's books, and it immediately leapt out at me. It's one of those books where you take a cursory glance through the pages and as your eyes widen, you just know you've found something special.

It tells the story of a family of young women, each named after the colours of the forest when they were born, living with their parents in a little cottage. One year the harvest fails and just as the girls' parents fear they will starve, a king appears in a noble coach. Each year he takes one of the girls to be his bride, promising to send a daily hamper of food to help her family, and each year returns alone bearing the sad news of the Queen's death, selecting another daughter to take her place. Finally it is the turn of Carrots-and-Cream, the last and youngest of the girls, to take her place as Queen, using all the wisdom of her sisters before her, and her own courage, to find out what really happened to her sisters.

The story is simple and lyrical, with eloquently composed elements of rhyme and colour, and a careful maturity to challenge the young reader. In the finest traditional fairytale style, there are whispers of menace and wistful sadness lingering in the magical air, adding atmosphere and depth. But the most lovely and striking thing about this book must surely be Patricia Ludlow's illustrations. They are, quite simply, beautiful. Each large page is brought to life by her watercolours, by turn dark and grotesque, merry and bright, and mistily ethereal. Her characters are beautifully wrought, her fairytale settings exquisitely drawn. They made this book a genuine pleasure to read and admire.

In fact, you know what, I may not have children but I think I might keep this one for myself - at least for the time being!… (altro)