Loveykins

Augustus, aka Loveykins, is found by Angela Bowling on the floor of the great woods, blown out of his nest. Angela, a recognisably Blakean lady d’un certain age and eccentricity, brings her find home, feeds him and wraps him in many layers of clothing. But baby birds turn into big birds, and eventually Loveykins flees the coop, or more literally the garden shed which Angela has had built especially for her charge.

Loveykins is a picture book story full of warmth, and humour, and gentle acceptance of difference. We can only guess at the longing felt by Angela as she walks round her village with Loveykins in a smart new pushchair. But she is also a resourceful lady and with a somewhat bizarre touch, comforts herself with ‘a wonderful collection of cactuses of all shapes and sizes’ after the leaving of Loveykins.

Blake knows how to use white space on his pages to the best advantage, and he also knows how to move characters across and around the spaces to advance the story. Seemingly artless twiddles of the pen convey depths of meaning, and as for Loveykins’ eyes, well, they say it all …