Someone has smashed Father Giant's favourite elephant. It w asn't Olive and her brother Grub. Nor w as it the naughty new t, the laughing lady or the yucky yak. So W HO is the culprit? A magnificently madcap mystery that w ill keep readers guessing until the very end.
A wonderful whodunnit with perfect rhyming text to read aloud from the duo behind the critically acclaimed "Dog On Stilts" and "The Weasel, Puffin, Unicorn, Baboon, Pig, Lobster Race".
'It started with an "Oops!" and "Look out!" and a CRASH!' opens this delightful 'whodunnit' story, a tale that unravels step by step in flowing rhymes until the mystery of the broken china elephant that fell off the mantelpiece is resolved.
Father Giant's investigations follow the chain of events which involve his little son, a newt, a lady, a yak, a sofa, the sun and a storm, all playing a part in the rumpus.
The incidents leading to the crash are far-fetched and will delight every reader, but eventually it is a little girl who offers the explanation for all the chaos. The resolution is a happy one and all the characters join in a colourful parade splashing in muddy puddles.
This book is the first one produced by Thorp and MacKinnon in collaboration with a mainstream publisher, following two self-published books.
This volume is a striking hardback, whose font and illustrations, full of curvy lines and vibrant clashing colours, suggest an Art Nouveau influence to which the bright blocks of fluorescent orange add a twist, with a nod to the 1960s'-style graphics.
The setting is also delightfully reminiscent of a bygone era, with a grandfather clock and multiple portraits adorning an imposing hall, with chandeliers and Chinese vases furnishing the drawing room and a vintage car waiting in the drive. An array of details and lovely shapes wait to be discovered in every page adding enjoyment to the story.
A second book by this creative duo will be published in 2018 by Templar; we look forward to it.
