The Magic Ark

An unusual fantasy which captures a magical moment - his sixth birthday - in a lonely boy's childhood. The boy watches as his mysterious neighbour carves wooden animals for his ark. Then on his birthday he receives an unusual present from Mr Antrobus and the two of them go off on a dream trip in the ark over the world to return the animals to their natural habitats. The text is narrated by the boy in a seemingly straightforward manner but it raises questions, poses puzzles and hints at meanings for the reader to interpret: Who is this strange man? What does Grandad know about him? Why isn't the world young all the time? The detailed watercolour illustrations echo the dreamy nature of this imaginative and enigmatic tale as do the small line and grey wash drawings.