Oliver

Oliver can roll from one side to the other and stand on his head ‘but he was simply an egg and that was that’. And yet, limited as the movement of an egg is, this book shows how its shape and smooth texture give it a special aesthetic appeal. This is achieved by using shading and shadow and interesting positioning of the object in space, an approach to images evident in many a gallery and on many an art postcard. This artist has brought scrutiny of an everyday object — a hen’s egg –within the reach of young children by combining a minimalist style with the choice of a board book format. The images and succinct text make this little information story compelling for child and sharing adult and it springs a lovely and satisfying surprise at the end. There is a startling contrast between the black and white pictures of the egg and the picture of the vibrantly yellow new chick that Oliver has become. What better way could there be to start a conversation about transformation and metamorphosis! The link can be made with other transformations, caterpillar into butterfly and tadpole into frog perhaps. This most original book is the result of a simple idea brilliantly realised.