Tag Penny Neville-Lee

The Carousel Horse

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The Carousel Horse
Tony Mitton and Penny Neville-Lee
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This is an enchanting story of a fairground merry-go-round horse that longs for adventure.
One night when the people have all left and the horse expresses a desire to fly to the moon, there appears before him a shimmery princess who tells him to let go of his fear and make his wish. Having done so, with the princess on his back the horse rises up, up far above the fairground eventually coming to land on the moon. From there they stand and look around admiring the beautiful colours of the distant earth. They then return to the world below and set forth to explore: they visit places high and low, hot and cold;

they watch dolphins leaping and swans swimming. No matter where they go, though the horse feels the need for a sense of purpose, a place where he belongs. So, at the princess’s suggestion, he returns from whence he came,

thereafter providing the fairground visitors fun aplenty, but safe in the knowledge that at full moon time should that urge arise, a wish will see him and the princess reunited, ready to take another magical journey together..

Told in perfect rhyme, this tale of wish fulfilment and finding where you truly belong is a joy to share: observant readers/listeners will notice that the painted scenes atop the carousel and the animals below that provide the rides – rabbit, dolphin, squirrel, swan, frog are all encountered in the dreamtime journeys so magically depicted in Penny Neville-Lee’s scenes.

The Ice Children

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The Ice Children
M.G. Leonard, illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee
Macmillan Children’s Books


With echoes of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen and Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant, this magical fantasy from the author of Twitch and the Adventures on Trains series draws you in from its opening lines: ‘Once upon a warm winter, in the dawning darkness of December, a boy was found in the city rose garden. The boy looked like a statue. He was frozen solid.’ Said boy, Finn, the five year old brother of Bianca is wearing his pyjamas, his hair is full of icicles but he’s still alive – at least he has a heartbeat but nobody can wake him. Bianca is determined to find out what is going on. She soon suspects that the sparkling silver book he got from the library has something to do with it but the book has mysteriously disappeared.


Now whereas one frozen child is indeed puzzling, with the number of ice children increasing day by day, it is imperative that the mystery is solved and Bianca knows it’s down to her to discover the truth. Who or what is behind the freezings? Could it be that strange tall cloaked man with a top hat and a triumphant smile?


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Bianca’s quest takes her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger where nothing is what it seems: a world splendidly depicted in Penny Neville-Lee’s black and white illustrations


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Make yourself a hot chocolate, snuggle up in your hoodie blanket and prepare to be transported into a brilliantly imagined tale, at the heart of which is a vitally important message about climate change and global warming.

Wishyouwas

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Wishyouwas
Alexandra Page, illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

The author sets her splendid debut story in 1952 smoggy London where, in the run-up to Christmas, we meet young Penny Black. Penny is staying with her postmaster Uncle Frank above his post office because her airmail pilot mother is stuck in France due to the smog, and may not make it back in time for Christmas.

Writing to her mum one night, Penny is feeling especially lonely when she discovers a tiny creature stuck in a rat trap. However she quickly learns that this is no rat; ” I is a Sorter Second Class” the furry thing announces, going on to introduce himself as Wishyouwas and explaining that his role, along with his friends, is to collect lost mail and get it to the rightful recipients. Thus begins a wonderful adventure, for Wishyouwas takes Penny to the subterranean world of the Sorters and Deliverers whose very existence is threatened on account of Stanley Scrawl, the thoroughly unpleasant Royal Mail rat catcher.

Dear Penny, as Wishyouwas calls her, is determined to protect her new friend and the Sorters and Deliverers;

but will she be able to keep them safe and thus save Christmas, with that sinister Scrawl and his greyhound Ripper (both brilliantly described) on the prowl?

With its warmth, friendship and potential perils, who wouldn’t be enthralled by this magical seasonal adventure, made all the more so by Penny Neville-Lee’s super illustrations? I couldn’t put it down.

The Night Train / The Naughtiest Unicorn in a Winter Wonderland

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The Night Train
Matilda Woods and Penny Neville-Lee
Little Tiger

This is a wintry addition to the Stripes series of stories for new solo readers that have beautiful full colour illustrations at every turn of the page.

Herein readers can take up the guard’s final call and board the non-stop express train to Sleepy Town Platform ZZZ. Charles is anxious to get his special passengers in on schedule so that they don’t lose the chance to shine in their dreams.

There’s Henri, about to perform in front of the Queen, Princess May on her way to meet the family of her dragon, then comes the yeti – a regular on the train – bound for the North Pole and now accompanying Lily who longs to be a great explorer.
Then one more passenger reveals itself – a huge green furry monster that hopes it has just the thing to stop its dreamer being scared any longer.

Suddenly the train comes to a halt and the driver announces that something is blocking the way. The princess leaves the train to investigate and discovers a tree has fallen across the line. But are any of the passengers willing to help her and the guard Charles to move the obstacle and allow the train to arrive on time? Perhaps if they draw on their yet to be discovered skills, together they can save the situation and enter their dreamer’s dreams.

It must be worth a try.

Despite it’s chilly setting, Matilda Woods tells a warm-hearted tale of teamwork and determination. Penny Neville-Lee’s snowy scenes capture beautifully, the sometimes tense atmosphere of the telling and her portrayal of the characters is charming – even the monster.

A smashing snuggle up in the warm book for youngsters just taking off as independent readers.

The Naughtiest Unicorn in a Winter Wonderland
Pip Bird, illustrated by David O’Connell
Farshore

Can it really be the ninth story featuring Mira and her exuberant unicorn Dave? As he tries his hoofs at some winter sports, it’s evident that the creature hasn’t lost his burping and farting habits or his tendency to gobble up ice-cream or pretty much anything edible he can get hold of.

Then comes the announcement: Unicorn School Winter Expedition. It’s to be Red Class’s very first time and in addition to the sporting activities there’s to be a special quest: The Unicorn School Art Project inspired by the Aurora Lights.

The excitement is high though there’s talk of Snow Beasts by pupils who have been on previous winter expeditions, and it’s even higher when they reach their destination. Armed with ‘snow tools’ just in case of any unwanted encounters, the pupils start to settle in and decide on their activities.

Then comes the real fun and for Mira and Dave that begins with sledging – watch out for a ginormous snow poo-ball.

Will they really meet a yeti though?

What about that art project: will everyone be having such a great time sledging that they miss those magical Aurora Lights? And could somebody discover a use for that Abominable Snow Poo? You’ll never know … unless of course you get hold of this hilarious episode in the life of Mira, Dave and their friends both old and new.

I know a fair number of young solo readers who will gobble it up – Dave fashion – all in one go, pausing to enjoy David O’Connell’s super black and white illustrations along the way.