PICTURE BOOKS
SALLY MORRIS
STORM (Templar £6.99, 40 pp) AS THE fallen leaves swirl in the blustery wind, what better time to curl up with the final title in Sam Usher’s seasonal weather quartet. It’s blowy enough to fly a kite, but the excited little boy first has to wait for his grandad to find it.
In doing so, they uncover a cricket bat, a letter and a telescope that remind them of previous expeditions they have enjoyed.
finally, they set off to the park, where they fly high in the sky with fiery Chinese dragons and majestic blue whales as their own little kite gets caught up in a billowing cloud of colour and shapes.
Though there are references to previous adventures in the series (the other titles are Snow, Rain and Sun), this works wonderfully as a standalone book. It’s beautifully illustrated, bursting with imagination and has at its heart a touching relationship. GRANDMA BIRD (Simon & Schuster £6.99, 32 pp) THERE’S another grandparent starring in this joyful tale: Grandma Bird, who lives alone on a tiny rock in the middle of the sea, where she boils up seaweed for soup and keeps her teeth in a jar.
noi goes to stay for a holiday, but gets bored when Grandma is always busy, so sneaks off to play on a different island.
A storm brews and, as noi takes shelter, a tiny bird is blown in, looking very unwell. Can noi get back to Grandma’s with his new friend as the sea dashes against the rocks? Luckily, his grandmother is brave and resourceful. not only do they rescue one bird, they scoop up a whole houseful to nurse back to health. A delightful story from the author of The Storm Whale. ONCE UPON A SNOWSTORM (Faber £6.99, 36 pp) WEATHER is also the theme of this stunning, wordless book that has a dreamlike quality and a captivating message.
A small boy and his father set out from their remote, but cosy, home into a snowstorm, where hazy reindeer shapes crystallise in the snowflakes.
They lose sight of each other and the child falls asleep in a cave. He is rescued by curious animals who throw him a party.
Eventually, overcome by homesickness, he seeks out his distraught father and, when spring arrives, they celebrate with these newfound friends.
The landscapes are beautifully drawn and the frosty fantasy will make you yearn for an open fire and mugs of hot chocolate.