The Mysteries of Zigomar

This is a beautifully produced book, lovely to handle, on good quality paper, illustrated in colour throughout with Lawrence's appropriate and pleasing pictures. The attractive dust jacket invites us to 'be inspired, amused, confused, excited, touched and flabbergasted by the mysteries of Zigomar'. On opening the book we find a collection of poems and stories (several of which are rather more 'episode' than full story) of varying appeal and quality. I very much preferred the poems to the prose pieces; some of them relate well to the world of the schoolchild while others would be better appreciated by older teenagers and adults, distanced as they are from the child's eye view. The stories are typical of Ahlberg in their breathless style with much authorial comment. Some, again, are suitable for young children ('The Paper Boy') while others, with their post-modern touches, are much more suited to an older audience. For example in 'Snow White Lies' we are asked to reconsider the myth in the light of reality: Poisoned apple? Bunkum. Glass coffin? Balderdash. Handsome Prince? Wishful thinking.' Fine, but only for those ready for this approach - age-wise it is hard to give a recommendation for this uneven book. See it before you buy.