A Totally Big Umbrella

Tallulah doesn’t like the rain. It ruins her biscuits, it washes away her temporary tattoos, and it makes her feel just a little bit… out of control. But when Grandma gives her a big umbrella, Tallulah finds safety under its shelter — and soon begins sewing, taping, and sticking her family’s clothes to its edges for extra protection. Before long, she’s transformed it into a stitched-together sanctuary: dry, safe, and entirely her own. So why does it still feel like something’s missing?

Crossan, widely celebrated for her verse novels, brings a poet’s restraint to her picture book debut. Tallulah’s fear isn’t melodramatic — it’s quiet, real, and rooted in the emotional logic of childhood. Crossan treats it with warmth and empathy, allowing young readers to feel seen without being overwhelmed. When Tallulah finally steps outside, it’s with a courage that feels entirely earned.

Cobb’s illustrations are, as ever, perfectly pitched. Her expressive pencil lines and soft watercolour washes bring nuance to every moment, whether it’s Tallulah’s fierce insistence on staying dry or the absurdity of a biscuit hoard crumbling under stress. One unforgettable image shows Tallulah floating, eyes closed, in silent despair inside a giant party ring — part lifebuoy, part grief bubble. It’s a spread that lands differently for adult and child, yet speaks profoundly to both. Watch too how background colours shift — fiery reds to mellow yellows — mirroring Tallulah’s internal landscape. And note the moment where she draws rain onto her umbrella, echoing the wallpaper pattern: a subtle act of projection, turning her imagined fears into protective shields.

Together, Crossan and Cobb craft a story about anxiety, friendship, and the small acts of bravery that allow us to step out from behind our self-made shelters. A warm, funny, and emotionally intelligent debut that shows the sky — and its storms — in a new light