Jack's Big Race

The first line of this splendid tale at once draws in the young reader: 'Jack's favourite place was his grandfather's shed.' The shed in question is an upturned fishing boat perched precariously on the sanddunes. It is a shelter which gradually unfolds its family history, as Jack's grandfather uncovers objects which show that their ancestors and the sea have never been far apart. The narrative moves on to their building a raft and Jack finally winning the local raft race against all odds, carried over the finishing line as his craft splits dramatically apart. The 'chip off the old block' image is skilfully handled by Foreman's accomplished storytelling and there are one or two narrative surprises which caused a real stir amongst the six-year-olds I read with. The illustrations are, by turns, action-packed and quietly reflective, the use of blues and whites wonderfully evocative of the sea by day and by night. The grandfather-grandson bond at the moving heart of this beautiful picture book is simply a 'must read' for this age range.