Butterfly and Oscar (Tricia Oktober, Ford Street)

Since releasing her first book Bush Party, Tricia Oktober has made her mark as a creator of picture books that feature animals and plants, and has won numerous awards for them. This new picture book has her trademark detailed illustrations. The story is about a pug called Butterfly who moves into a house occupied by five elegant dachshunds. Butterfly doesn’t realise that she’s different from the other dogs until she accidentally sees a reflection of herself. It is her best friend Oscar the dachshund who convinces her that she’s not so different after all. This book is about being different and being accepted for who you are, not the way you look. It is a beautiful book, mostly made up of double-page spreads with dachshunds dominating the pictures. The first spread has a hide-and-seek game of ‘find the five dachshunds’, which also asks readers to count the other creatures in the picture. It’s a pity this extra dimension wasn’t repeated, as it would have added another element to the book. However, this is an appealing story for readers aged five and over, with a satisfying and warm conclusion.

Margaret Hamilton is a former children’s book publisher. She now runs Pinerolo, the Children’s Book Cottage in Blackheath

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Category: Reviews