Tag Adam Beer

Will Wolfheart

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Will Wolfheart
Teresa Heapy, illustrated by Adam Beer
David Fickling Books

Will loves his dog, Whiskers, more than anything and is devastated when, having moved house, Whiskers goes to live with Will’s grandma, Gran-Mishti, meaning he only gets to see Whiskers at weekends. Then on one of these eagerly awaited weekends, Will is suddenly transported to a magical world wherein Whiskers is a wolf and the two can speak to one another. This world is Wolf World: enchanted and exciting yes, but danger is never far away.

The author’s portrayal of the relationship between Will and Whiskers is superb but equally so is that captured in Adam Beer’s illustrations. However there are a number of other memorable characters too: not least Clara, a human girl and members of the adversarial wolf packs, some of which are friendly towards humans, others far from it; and the wild, magical setting wields a power of its own: I really loved the descriptions of the changing skyscapes. I loved too the support Will’s Dad gave him at a crucial point in the story when the boy was showing great stress.

Animal lovers will certainly relish the tale with its perils aplenty and powerful messages about belonging and ways of loving . However you definitely do not have to love dogs to enjoy this book; I’m petrified of them having been attacked by an Alsatian as a child and was captivated by the story. It would make a terrific read aloud to share with KS2 classes but make sure you show the final illustration of Gran-Mishti’s gate.

Mammoth

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Mammoth
Anna Kemp and Adam Beer
Simon & Schuster Children’s Books

Waking from a sleep of indeterminate length an Ice Age mammoth is totally bothered, bewildered and bemused by the strange sights that meet his eyes when he heads to the meadow to join his herd for breakfast.
Having climbed to the top of a hill he sees an enormous ‘gleaming forest’ and makes his way towards it. Instead of his relations, said forest is full of weird smells and alarming sounds.

Nonetheless stuck in the big city, the visitor starts going about his daily business, despite being on the receiving end of some strange looks from those he encounters, not to mention a fair bit of shouty behaviour from the ‘cavemen’.

Deciding to make himself useful the mammoth does a spot of topiary but again his efforts are far from appreciated.

Then his hopes are raised when he finally enters the Ice Age exhibition and trumpets loudly at the mammoths before him. But these creatures he’d thought were from his herd prove not to be so and this disappointment triggers a rampage. Is he really now the only mammoth in the entire world.

In the distance he hears a faint trumpeting sound – strange and beautiful although not a mammoth sound – and it’s calling to him.

Perhaps at last he’s found his herd …

Anna Kemp tells a fun story about finding somewhere to be yourself with people who will accept you no matter what. Debut picture book illustrator, Adam Beer, brings out the humour of the mammoth’s situation, his interpretations of what he sees and some of the daft things he does (sporting a bow tie to visit the museum, for instance) while making readers feel sympathy at his plight.