The Lost Book

Henry is not keen on books – unlike everyone else in Rabbit Town; books are everywhere there – boring. Henry would rather have a real life adventure. That is until he finds the Lost Book. It needs to be found and Henry sets off to look for the owner – and finds himself having ‘an adventure so exciting it could have been in a book’.

This is artist Margarita Surnaite’s debut picture book. Stylishly presented, her clear uncluttered style uses subtle outlines and a cool pastel palette, that perfectly matches the minimal text. Does this mean that the storyline is vague or elliptical? Far from it; with commendable economy, Surnaite presents a narrative that would make sense without the illustration. However, together they create a richly enjoyable experience where the words are mirrored and extended by the images. For here is not just a story in which the animal world and the human meet; rather it is about imagination itself and how story can inhabit reality – and vice versa. With clear font and spacious design this is a pleasure to read and Margarita Surnaite an author-illustrator to watch.