Lara of Newtown
Reviewed By Grasshopper2 August 4, 2015
Author Chris McKimmie
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ISBN: 9781760112325
Publisher: A & U Children
Release Date:
Website: http://www.allenandunwin.com
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Actually, this book is a compilation of drawings by many of the McKimmie children and grandchildren. Acknowledgements are given at the back of the book for all the helpers who drew images to complement the story. Visually, there are so many unusual childlike drawings, that you find yourself lingering and scrutinising each character and sign.
The story is based around a cat that is left at a shelter because her owner is too old to care for her any more. A family eventually buy her as a Christmas present for Noni, but cat eats the custard and pork crackling on Christmas day. This is Not a good start and cat has to go. This time she is dumped and forced to live under the stars. After a while, she is rescued again by a kind family, and this time she knows she will stay.
There is adult humour in many of the sketches, and when the cat has eaten the custard, we see an illustration of the last pet Noni had.-A dead budgie! Some of the art work is quite dark and emphasises the loneliness felt by the cat. It is always good to look at alternate art styles and stories for children that do not only present light-hearted fun.
The print is a reasonable size, and at times, contained in a box quite separate from the illustrations. At other times, the text weaves up and down through the illustrations as a contrast. There is a page that is totally black, when Noni suggests they call the cat Nigella.
Older children would enjoy looking at the details and hidden messages in the art work. For example, on a Notice Board is an advertisement for “Johnny Farmland,” the singer who is coming to town. Also, there is a visiting music group called “The Lamingtons.” To compare this picture book with other children’s books would show it to be very different in style, illustrations, colour, idea and content. The language and illustrations are geared towards an older reader, and younger readers may prefer that their parent reads the book to them.