Constance in Peril

Constance may only be a doll, but her life is adventurous, indeed perilous, in the extreme. Becoming the constant companion of her young owner after she has been rescued from a rubbish bin, she meets a hazard every day whether being tossed to the top of a tree, abandoned by the roadside, or grabbed by a dog. Luckily big sister is there to sort every problem out. But will Constance meet one disaster too many?

Ben Manley’s minimal text sets the scene, describing each incident with no fuss. The drama lies in the illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark who moves from snapshots to the climax of a double page spread. Her images are bold and clear, her colour palette vibrant, picking up the emotion and mood of each event. Though we learn the name of the little boy who so loves Constance, surely his big sister must be Lily, now much older and responsible – Lily who so loved Blue Kangaroo she can understand the importance of rescuing Constance. Warm-hearted, humorous as the catalogue of disasters grows and full of that special relationship between siblings, this is a picture book to enjoy to the full.