posted on 17 Sep 2019

Hide and Seek by Polly Noakes

What a joy it is to read a picture book that is both eventful yet very comforting. The soft illustrations on the cover promise a story that has a child at its centre plus an intriguing selection of animals running away into the flowery summer meadow as she is shown hiding behind a large leafy tree. For me, before even opening the book, there are already echoes of classics  like ‘We're Going on a Bear Hunt’ in the distinctive stance of the bear who is one of the trio and the lush green of the meadow that was so wonderfully captured by Helen Oxenbury in that memorable story. This is an artist who has evidently been influenced by some great picture books.

On the turn of the page I am then reminded of ‘Mr Gumpy’s Outing’ and other books by John Burningham, with the use of soft pastel colours showing a rural landscape – the pleasant warmth and underlying hum of insects buzzing is palpable. Once the story begins, the quiet mood changes as we see the girl riding on the back of the bear commanding him and the racoon and rabbit, with the assertive cry: ‘Let’s play hide and seek’!  But as they obediently scuttle off while she hides her face, the reader sees that a wolf is watching them. What could he be up to? Will he conform to our expectations of wolfish badness or not? The well- known children’s game of hide and seek  continues with more glorious double page spreads, the wolf is always in view, but only to the reader. I can almost hear children shouting’He’s behind you’! as he carefully follows the girl into the long grass. I particularly liked the episode where we are shown the fuzzy reflections of the girl and the four animals in the water – lots of opportunities for discussion and later experimentation here.

The inter-textual references to other stories continue as the animals hide under a bridge like the troll in ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ and then tiptoe across as the girl tries to find them there. The perspective shifts again when the smiling wolf hides inside a hole in a tree as the girl peers inside to try to find her friends.  Despite her best efforts, she just can’t seem to find them, even though the reader can easily see them. This is a clever twist because, like many young children, they are hiding in plain sight and the game played by the adult is to pretend not to see them. She eventually gives up and demands that they should become the seekers as, like Max in ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, she is definitely in charge of this game! 

I won’t spoil the denouement, but you will be very pleased to know that all ends well. This is a delightful picture book with minimal text but packed with beautiful illustrations that I would strongly recommend for all people, young and old who have vivid imaginations.

Karen Argent

September 2019

(Click on any image to view the images in a slide show format)