Mr Large in Charge

In common, I suspect, with many other mothers, I have something of a soft spot for Mrs Large, elephant mum, in her endless quest for a bit of ‘me time’. This latest volume in a fine series has Mrs Large retreating unwell to bed, leaving Mr L in charge of the unruly brood. Of course, their endearing willingness to do all the chores while she has a nice sleep results in ‘an astonishing amount of noise blasting up through the floorboards’, luckily ‘mostly happy noises’. By the end Mrs L has hardly had a minute’s peace while the family has collapsed exhausted onto her bed.

Murphy’s expressive illustrations score over the rather clunky text; the storyline has neither the wit of some of the earlier titles nor the emotional appeal, but the expression on Mrs Large’s face is priceless at times. Not essential, but a nice addition to the collection.