Pat Hutchins was a picture book genius. Her debut, Rosie’s Walk, is rightly acknowledged as a classic and is still loved by small people everywhere. But little of her other work is that well known – or even in print – including the Silver Christmas Tree. Published in 1974, the same year that Hutchins won … Continue reading
‘It rained every day since Grandma arrived in London. Every single day. Not the nice sort of fat rain than makes gentle plopping noises on your rain hat, but the nasty thin sort that runs down your nose and the tops of your Wellington boots and makes your hair stick out all over the place.’ … Continue reading
You can’t beat a good flood. Ever since Noah got fed up with the rotten weather it has provided inspiration for countless end of the world stories. From Pat Hutchins’ The House That Sailed Away to J.G Ballard’s Drowned World, the end of the world as maritime adventure narrative has been a compelling one. The … Continue reading
Pat Hutchins is an under-appreciated children’s book genius, author of titles including the House the Sailed Away and Rosie’s Walk. That classic featured a hapless fox landing in all sorts of trouble as he chases an oblivious chicken around a farm. There’s another fox in The Silver Christmas Tree, but this one’s far more friendly. … Continue reading
