The Swap (Jan Ormerod, illus by Andrew Joyner, Little Hare)

Caroline’s mother thinks her new baby is gorgeous, but Caroline doesn’t agree at all. Caroline is quite green, in fact, and her snout is definitely out of joint. The family in this book are crocodiles, but that doesn’t change the emotion that is familiar to all families when a new baby arrives—everything changes. One day when Caroline is looking after her baby brother, she decides to swap him for a new one at the baby shop while their mother swaps her new hat. Andrew Joyner has created a delightful world in his illustrations; the palette he has chosen and the wonderfully engrossing details are reminiscent of old-time cartoons. He has captured all the humour and movement of the time without the flat slickness that spoils many books that employ retro imagery. His animal characters and their domains are charming, especially in the scenes in town when the crocodiles go shopping. Jan Ormerod’s language is, as always, pitched perfectly at her young audience, and she has written a book that is as fun to read aloud as it is to look at. Very sadly, Ormerod died this year, and this book is dedicated to her. She created many wonderful books for children, including the unforgettable Sunshine (1981) and Moonlight (1982), both hugely influential books at the time. 

Louise Pfanner is an author, illustrator and bookseller 

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Category: Reviews