The Queen’s Handbag

Setting off on her tour of Great Britain, things don’t go according to plan for the Queen when a swan swoops by and snatches her handbag. Determined to retrieve it, the intrepid Queen pursues the sneaky swan across Great Britain – travelling by land, sea and air in a range of vehicles including an Aston Martin sports car, one of the Red Arrows’ aircraft and a speed boat. Her mission takes her from the Giant’s Causeway to Edinburgh Castle; Stonehenge to the Angel of the North. Along the way, one of the royal corgis keeps the Queen company and a chaotic constabulary is in hot pursuit. Eventually she succeeds in retrieving her hat, at the finish line of the London marathon.

Following Steve Antony’s celebration of London in The Queen’s Hat, this new picturebook celebrates Great Britain as the Queen’s quest to retrieve her handbag takes her to key British landmarks. The story is simple, humorous and highly effective. The illustrations are detailed and amusing; it is fun to discover the antics of the police and spot the corgi on each page. The limited red, blue, black and white colour palette is perfect for the British theme.

The Queen’s Handbag is a wonderful picturebook guaranteed to make you smile, enjoyable for children (and adults!) of all ages.