Posy
by Linda Newbery
Illustrated by Catherine Rayner
It has always been clear to me that the best picture books are the least complicated. Simple but meaningful text, where every single word counts and there is nothing superfluous, and illustration that captures that indefinable something, the magical ability to bring a character alive, seemingly in just a few lines. Of course the creation process is far more complex than that, but the end result is always of the stuff that stays in the memory long beyond the few targeted childhood moments.
And so it is with Posy. Posy is an enchanting, naughty, adventurous, and utterly irresistible new kitten. A 'knitting tangler, sofa scratcher, mirror puzzler, cuddle earner' of a kitten! Linda Newbery's text is inspirational - children will find many more kennings to explore and savour out of this book long before they are ever taught the poetic form. And Catherine Rayner shows again that hers is a huge talent, and such an exciting one for its freshness and unique take on a very well established format.