Smile!

After his light aircraft crashes in the desert, Flash finds himself living with a tribe in the middle of nowhere. The people have never seen a camera before and are scared of it, that is until they see the photographs it takes. Flash has 10 exposures left, and has to decide how best to use them.

The book has an eye-catching red cover with an instant photograph in the centre which has a ‘mirrored’ surface so you can see your own reflection. The detailed black and white illustrations depict each of the 10 photographs, and really help bring the story to life.

The idea is a good and thought-provoking one but, unlike the colourful personalities in McCaughrean’s Six Storey House, the book suffers from poor characterisation. The main character, Flash, is difficult to identify with – he turns out to be a married man with a family of his own –  the tribespeople are stereotyped and the references to ‘primitive people’ are reminiscent of a colonial diary rather than a children’s book.

The photographic terminology is overdone and makes it a difficult read for this age-group. The narrative is helped enormously by the wonderful illustrations, but overall I found it a disappointing read.