The Puddleman

Briggs is on top form once more with this strange and moving story about Tom and his grandfather (called ‘Collar’ because he drags him around on a lead). Collar is taken by Tom for a walk to have a look at the puddles that he has curiously named after members of the family. As there has been no rain for ages there are no puddles but Tom claims this is only because they haven’t been put in yet.

The distraction caused by Mrs Whitebobblehat’s arrival with her dog, Robson, enables Tom to get away. He wanders off down the lane and meets the man he needs: The Puddleman, who produces made to measure puddles for the whole of Tom’s family. Then, naturally, he ‘disappears’ before Collar and Mrs Whitebobblehat catch sight of him.

The soft edged, coloured pencil, strip cartoon, which Briggs has made his trademark through such classics as The Snowman, When the Wind Blows and The Bear, is used once more to great effect.