A Pipkin of Pepper

Squirrel, cat and duck catch a bus to the city to buy a pipkin of pepper for the pumpkin soup. Duck is only reluotantly allowed to come along due to his well-known habit of wandering off and sure enough, before too long he gets distracted and a major operation is underway to track him down. Cooper's delicious use of colour makes this an attractive book to own. Well designed and beautifully produced, it positively glows with mellow autumn warmth and fruitfulness. Cooper's attention to the effects of gentle evening light is established at the outset with a magically lit image of the creatures' woodland home. As the narrative takes us into the big city with its jumble of textures, lights and signage, the colurs continue to delight. The word text is at times a little confusing and not terribly easy to read out loud, but this feels like a minor inconvenience in the context of such a lovely book.