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There is a particular sort of illustrator who understands that less is more, knows when to stop, sees the virtues of travelling light. Tiz & Ott’s Big Draw by Bridget Marzo (Tate £9.99) captivates with its economy. It encourages children, with an unintimidating gaiety, to draw. Tiz is a marmalade cat (his stripes 18 strokes of an orange crayon, his mouth a single upturned black line). Ott is a cheerier donkey than Eeyore (though in possession of a blue tail). The two artists wield outsized equipment: multicoloured crayon and paintbrush. They learn about creativity: it is best not to sleep on the job; it is sometimes good to collaborate; if you paint a storm, you might get swept away. Adults will derive metaphorical mileage from the story and relish the remedy for a creative block as much as any child: out of a deep hole emerges a rainbow-coloured ladder. A joy of a book – all ages.
In its distinct way Soon, by Timothy Knapman, illustrated by Patrick Benson (Walker £11.99), also exemplifies a simple-is-beautiful approach. If you read this book aloud, what strikes you is its perfect pacing (no excess verbal baggage). Mother and baby elephant promenade slowly and the baby tires easily, asks repeatedly when it might be time to go home. The answer is always the same: “Soon.” On the back of this word, momentum builds. The mummy elephant is a trooper and sees off assorted dangers while Benson brings out her nuanced relationship with her baby with tender skill: the wistful look in his eye, his inward curling trunk, his mother’s stoical back view. A gentle book about travelling to the top – and about still being secure when you get there. (2 up).
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