Tom Thumb

This pleasant retelling of the traditional tale is surrounded by the outpourings of a visual cornucopia. Flesh, fur, foliage, plumage, woodgrain, seasand and landscape are celebrated with a visionary realism that enhances the magic of the story. In one minor picture, Tom juggles with a redcurrant, a clove, a blackeyed bean, a raisin, a sunflower seed, a pea, a blueberry and a corngrain, and the radiant care with which each of these objects is portrayed delights the eye and represents the power of the book as a whole. Highly recommended for picture book lovers of all ages.