Emeline at the Circus

I found the quality of the illustrations very uneven. It can be difficult to follow Emeline from page to page, which is the comic premise. I enjoyed the book and recommend it, but counsel modest expectations on the illustration. Some are fabulous. All are delightfully bright and intense.

The artwork is exceptional. Elephants, giraffes, tigers, clowns and of course Emeline move through the pages with unequaled grace and cheerfulness. What appears to be a blotch of primary colours at first glance is almost magically transformed into subtle and tender characters who might justly be called the sophisticated french painter Raoul Dufys great-grand-children. Two-year-old readers already take delight in following the hidden plot which the adult reader is likely to miss at first reading. A wonderful surprise and sweet lesson for the rereading parent. However, dont overwhelm little ones with the text. Miss Splinters commentary is more likely to find an interested and laughing audience in 5-7 year-old children.