In a Little While

In a Little While

written by Charlotte Hudson and illustrated by Mary McQuillan

(Bodley Head, 10.99)

This is a well-paced story that is written from the perspective of a child, rather than being too clever-clever and focusing on adult appeal (though there's plenty of that too).

The artist's distinctive style, with strong brush strokes of darker colour over lighter backgrounds, provides a wonderful sense of movement, and the endpapers show a good attention to detail as well as an economy of approach. On the front and back endpapers we have an overview of Wobbily Fang's home and wider surroundings. There's a small wood with a toothy beaver and another wood with a ploddy-looking bear, and there's a red car driving along a windy road. On the back endpapers all these features remain, including the red car, which is driving down the same stretch of road. But one area of the landscape is strikingly different - the left-hand corner featuring Wobbily Fang's house. On the front endpapers only Daddy can be seen, chopping wood. On the back there's Wobbily Fang playing with his racoon friend, and Mummy is there too, in a rocking chair, recovering from her stay in hospital, so representing the arch of the story.