Black and White

Written by the American author, artist and illustrator Dahlov Ipcar, Black and White was originally published in 1963 by Alfred A Knopf. This edition has been re-mastered from the original and traditionally printed using the same bold spot colour.

It tells the story, in rhyming couplets, of two dogs; one black, one white. They play together all day, chasing cats, diving in snow banks, sniffing at rats and barking at bats. Then they go home to dream of adventures in far off lands, from the jungles of the Congo with towering ebony elephants to the frozen white wastes of the arctic, populated by polar bears.

The strength of this book is the highly stylised illustrations – classic Ipcar with the rich patterns, sharp edges and bright colour that typify her art. The retro feel of Black and White is very current and sits well within contemporary children’s books.

Beyond the rhyming narrative, the book is also a celebration of the diversity of our natural world and the wonder and curiosity that it can evoke. It’s a book for sharing or to browse alone and would make a unique addition to any KS1 bookshelf.