Something Else

By Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell
Published by Puffin
All ages



This is one of my all time favourite picture books that touched my heart immediately. I believe should be considered a 'classic'. It has deservedly won the UNESCO Prize and been shortlisted for the Smarties Prize and the Kate Greenaway Medal. 

'Something Else' (pictured on the cover with his adorable mini-me teddy that I love) is called that because that's how everyone else sees him. He is 'different' and made to feel lonely for it. Until he meets another creature considered 'different'...

The text is simple and short, but, paired with such vivid and emotional illustrations proves so powerful in few words:

 'He didn't see the things they saw'.

The first time I read it - and I mean read Riddell's expressive pictures just as much as Cave's text - I nearly cried with the empathy I felt for 'Something Else'. 

This story is about friendship being found in accepting difference. What a beautiful message. What a beautiful book. 


Buy on Waterstones.com 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Impossible Creatures

Image
By Katherine Rundell Published by Bloomsbury Ages 9 + Once upon a time, magical creatures such as unicorns, dragons, lavellans (the description of lavellans in the bestiary made me laugh out loud btw) and ratatoskas wandered the whole earth. Now they live in Archipelago, part of our world that is hidden by magic. But they are dying. Mal, from the Archipelago and Christopher, staying in Scotland, meet and unite both to save Mal from a murderer (!) and to find out what is happening to the creatures in the magical world... As an animal lover I felt an immediate connection to Christopher who attracts animals wherever he goes: 'his allegiance was to wild and living things.' and I loved this feature. The unicorns are beautifully described: 'like a cluster of ambulant stars' in varieties of silver and white. And the Sphinxes 'yellow-gold winged cats: cats that stood ten feet high' are so wonderfully proud and all-knowing. I like Jacques the tiny dragon.  The chases a
Read more

Arkspire by Jamie Littler

Image
Published by Puffin Books Ages 9+ An entertaining, eerie, unputdownable story! Arkspire is utterly brilliant - I couldn't put it down. What world-building and characters! I love Cinder so much! Moments from Juni, Thea, Everard and Cinder had me laughing out loud.  'When the world gives you an empty bag, it's your job to fill it.'  An under-dog tale with mysterious magic, humour and vivid illustrations, Littler is talented indeed. I get asked almost daily by parents what do their kids read next having finished Harry Potter. I will be directing them to Arkspire. 'You would be a change for good... you are someone who would remember the little guy for once.'
Read more

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

Image
By Kieran Larwood  Published by Faber & Faber 9 yrs and upwards I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover alone, then learnt it was a Lord of the Rings-type adventure story -  but with bunnies... Sold! Podkin and his two siblings (the baby is so darn cute) make a bunny Baudelaire-esque trio who escape the evil Gorm (Orc-like rabbits). They face danger wherever they go, but are helped by a kind witch, a blind sellsword (that's a very exciting chapter btw) and a secret, special weapon...  The tale itself is narrated by a travelling rabbit bard to a group of excited little rabbit listeners. But the story is so gripping that I felt the suspense almost more than the rabbits listening themselves!  I found the woodland and rabbit folklore setting enchanting, the story engrossing and  the illustrations inside by David Wyatt exquisite accompaniments. There are some sad and scary moments, but this adventure of a one-eared little rabbit is full of hope, m
Read more