Tag Katie Harnett

Franklin and Luna and the Book of Fairy Tales

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Franklin and Luna and the Book of Fairy Tales
Jen Campbell and Katie Harnett
Thames & Hudson

This is dragon Franklin and his human pal, Luna’s third adventure. Herein the two are about to celebrate bibliophile Franklin’s six hundred and sixth birthday.

Luna and the villagers are planning a special surprise party and to distract Franklin, Luna takes him to a strange bookshop where spiders act as assistants to the lady owner and there are exciting books in abundance.

But the real adventure begins when Luna’s pet tortoise Neil is entrapped by an old book,

and Franklin and Luna follow into what turns out to be, the wondrous world of fairy tales.

There they meet the likely characters – the three little pigs building a hotel,

three bears, a boy who has so he says, sold his cow for magic beans, a ‘yawning princess with a bag of frozen peas’ (love that), as well as a host of other story book inhabitants.

Some of these, including the final one they encounter – a large grey wolf – don’t conform to the stereotype: this huffing creature informs the searchers that he’s turned vegetarian and practises yoga. Not only that, he actually points out the missing tortoise (engaged in a race with a long-eared leporine).

Yes, they do escape from the book – just! – and return to the village for that surprise party, but whether it turns out to be their ‘happily ever after’ as Luna wonders during the celebratory picnic, we’ll have to wait and see.

Young listeners will delight in the story and especially relish pointing out their favourite fairy tale characters, while adult sharers will welcome the creators’ promotion of books, stories and proper bookshops.

Monty and the Poodles

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Monty and the Poodles
Katie Harnett
Flying Eye Books

Whether or not you’re a dog lover, you’ll find it hard not to be enchanted by Monty and Ginger, stars of Katie Harnett’s new picture book.

Monty is a stray living on the north side of town, Ginger a pampered poodle residing at Poodle Mansions on the opposite side.

One day the two meet in an art gallery, and thus begins an unlikely friendship.

When Monty sees Ginger’s home he really wants to live there too.

Ginger likes the idea but there’s a problem in the form of Miss Lillabet. This battle-axe enforces a strict ‘Poodles Only’ policy at the Mansions.

Ginger enlists her fellow poodles in operation transformation,

but will their crafty canine ruse have the desired effect?

Poodle Mansions certainly does gain a new resident …

but perhaps a rule governed life, albeit a peachy one, isn’t for everyone, or rather, every dog.

Is there maybe another way for the two friends to be together …

Told in a direct manner, celebrating difference and inclusiveness are at the heart of Katie Harnett’s humorous story.

Rich in pattern and with a flattened perspective, her playful pictures, which range from full double spread to vignette, give a cinematic feel to the book.

Katie has created another winner with this one.

Ivy and the Lonely Raincloud

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Ivy and the Lonely Raincloud
Katie Harnett
Flying Eye Books
‘There was once a raincloud.’ Nothing unusual about that: we frequently have plenty. This particular raincloud though has feelings, sad ones on account of being the only one remaining after the ‘horrible’ hot sun had chased off the others, leaving him all alone and without a pal to play with. Search as he might, the cloud’s friend-finding endeavours were fruitless. On the point of giving up however, the cloud notices a small person in the street beneath him – an extremely grumpy-looking lass, despite the sunshine.

Could she be the one he’s been looking for?
The cloud pursues the girl to the market, the underground and finally home; and all the while she remains grumpy VERY grumpy indeed. What could be the cause of all this ill-temper? The cloud ponders: is she lonely or just plain peevish?

After all, she has plenty to lift her mood.
Being a kind-hearted soul, the raincloud decides to ‘pay it forward’ in the very best way a raincloud can …
and guess what? A beautiful new friendship begins to form …

This entrancing follow-up to Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat caught me on a day when I, like Ivy, was feeling more than a little down. That raincloud had the same uplifting effect on me as it did on the girl character herein. Now that’s pretty amazing as rainclouds normally have the effect of dampening my spirits considerably … which all goes to show what a revivifying reaction a lovely picture book can bring about.

I’ve signed the charter 

Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat

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Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat
Katie Harnett
Flying Eye Books
For an ailurophobic reviewer (the creatures make me wheezy and sneezy) to admit to being in love with a moggy means he must be something special; and Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius (I’ll henceforward call him ASOVCT), resident of Blossom Street, is surely that. The thing is this animal has a place in well nigh every residence on the street: belonging to everybody and nobody, he strolls from home to home, seemingly assuming a different guise for each friend he calls upon. Indeed this feline character has acquired a different name at each house: hence he’s Archie at breakfast time with Mr Green at number three …

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Snufflekins and more at number thirteen, Madame Betty’s residence …

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Moreover, he participates in a whole gamut of activities in one single busy day.

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However, there is one house ASOVCT never visits, in fact no one ever visits number eleven, residence of the lonely Mrs Murray. Her life is far from busy; she passes her time knitting, watching TV and warming her feet by the fire.
Then, one day our moggy decides to pay Mrs Murray a visit …

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and from that day on, everything begins to change on Blossom Street …

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Perfectly pitched and paced in its telling, inhabited by a host of wonderful characters, not least our enormously endearing hero ASOVCT; and warmly illustrated with gentle humour and touches of pathos, this is a book that will certainly resonate with children and adults – young or not so young. In addition to being a wonderful story, the book speaks volumes in this age of smartphones and social media about the importance of face-to-face human interactions, a sense of community and belonging.
Let’s hear it for Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius, his creator Katie Harnett, and for Flying Eye Books for yet another glorious picture book.

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