Beegu

Title: Beegu
Author: Alexis Deacon
Publisher:  Red Fox
Published: 2003
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

Beegu is one of the many books that the author and illustrator Alexis Deacon has created by himself. Like his other books, it carefully balances charm and poignancy.

At the start of the story Beegu has crashed onto Earth and has just woken up in entirely new surroundings. She finds it hard to communicate with other living beings and the humans seem to be cold and apathetic to her at first…until she meets up with a group of schoolchildren. The text is short and simple and most of the story is told through the pictures, which are beautifully drawn. The character of Beegu is drawn as a small bioluminescent yellow creature with long rabbit ears and this plus her friendly yet lonely personality makes her a lovable character. The book has some sad moments in it, but it also has happy moments such as when Beegu meets the schoolchildren who are eager to let her play with them. The message of Beegu is about being lonely and finding friends, but also of childhood innocence, which is reflect in both our protagonist and the human children.

In conclusion, Beegu is a sweet and poignant picture book with beautiful illustrations and a message about loneliness and friendship. Children and their parents will equally love the cuddly Beegu herself and these contributing factors mean that this story will appeal to audiences both young and old.

Croc and Bird

Title: Croc and Bird

Author: Alexis Deacon

Publisher: Red Fox

Published: 2012

Format: Paperback

Source: My own copy

 

 

Here’s another Alexis Deacon book that have I read and enjoyed. Published in 2012, Croc And Bird is one of his more recent books created by him alone and has the same introspective message and gorgeous artwork as the other stories.

In the story, a crocodile and a bird hatch out of their eggs next to each other and as a result, they mistake each other for brothers. Bonding between them ensues as they begin to share their lifestyles with one another and go on adventures together. The story is very funny and simplistic, but also poignant and heart warming as it explores the themes of brotherhood and friendship. As always, the pictures are beautifully drawn and coloured and we also get to explore, through both the illustrations and the text, the growth of the characters both in age and in personality.

In general, Croc And Bird is a meaningful tale of brotherly love with humour and poignancy blended together seamlessly. The main characters are absolutely lovable which will appeal to children and their parents alike and furthermore, the tale serves as a celebration of siblings everywhere, therefore making it a must-read for whole families.

I Am Henry Finch

Title: I Am Henry Finch
Author: Alexis Deacon
Illustrator: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher:  Walker Books
Published: 2014
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

I Am Henry Finch is the third collaboration between Alexis Deacon and Viviane Schwarz, following the books A Place To Call Home and Cheese Belongs To You!

The story follows the plights of a flock of finches who always do the same things and say the same greetings until the titular Henry suddenly gains the power of thought and decides to take on the beast that threatens them on a regular basis. This is a very funny story that also happens to have a philosophical message behind it about the power of individual thinking and spreading that power around. Both the story and the dialogue are very simplistic at first and become more complex as Henry gains more thoughts and passes them on, therefore matching the progression of the finches perfectly. The illustrations are also very cute, with red fingerprints used to create the bodies of the finches and black pen used to create the rest of their features such as their beaks, feet, wings and eyes, which will appeal to young children immensely.

In general, the blend between humour and philosophy makes I Am Henry Finch both a funny and interesting book to read which can be enjoyed by everyone, both young and old. Children and art fans alike will also love the fingerprint illustrations.