The review
Shirley Hughes' books have a certain timelessness in them. These would be the kind of books on my bookshelf growing up, and it definitely deserves a spot on my son's bookshelf as well.
She's a keen observer of the slice of life genre, capturing life at home and in the neighborhood with ease. Her art style carries a certain sense of softness (the watercolours are lovely) and warmth you associate with children. Each expressive face is carefully drawn and unique. Some artists suffer from same-face syndrome, but her drawings seem to indicate that she's had a diverse set of references, and likely took the trouble to do a lot of research!
The book is light on the wording, focusing more on the illustrations, which is very appropriate for a young reader.
This was very thoughtfully selected for my son's birthday, thank you my friends!