posted on 19 Nov 2019

Astrid and the Sky Calf by Rosie Faragher

Picture books produced by the wonderful Child’s Play International Publishers are built around certain assumptions they always make about their young readers - that they should be treated with respect and that they have a fertile imagination.

So, it is no surprise to see that on the first page of this one we are presented with Dr Astrid, who is a young girl holding a fantastical winged creature. It is about to be fixed using a needle threaded with red wool that she holds confidently in her other hand. At the side of the doorway there is a medical trolley and a patient register hanging on the wall. They are being followed into the room by a trail of still more strange little creatures. On the turn of the page it is clear that Dr Astrid runs a Hospital for Magical Beasts, and the detailed, delicately coloured illustrations show how much loving care she has been giving - there is even a framed certificate for 'Best Doctor’ on the wall. For all of us who have enjoyed happy hours playing hospitals with our toys, it is clear to see that she is supremely competent:

‘There’s no creature she can’t treat,

and no illness she can’t cure’.

A big challenge arrives on ‘one grizzly weather day’ as she gazes out of the window - it’s her first sky calf! She is puzzled as to how she might help, because it can’t explain its problems. She provides a thorough check up but just cannot figure out a diagnosis. There is a moment of mutual frustration as both are shown looking despondent and facing away from one another, but this doesn’t last long. Like all good doctors, Astrid realises that she needs to listen more closely to Sky Calf and to try to understand the patient perspective. She provides paper and pencils so that it can communicate through drawing a picture and then they spend an enjoyable day spending time together reading, taking a bath, playing and making flower crowns. I love the pages that show them lying on the grass in parallel contentment.

It seems that there wasn’t much wrong with Sky Calf after all, other than feeling lonely and it seems that it can be a great help to Dr Astrid cheering up the other patients as they recover.

This is a charmingly quiet story that will appeal to all children and adults who love to escape from the harshness of the real world. The restricted colour palette of soft blues, yellows, reds and grey contribute to the atmosphere provide a very welcome contrast with more vibrantly coloured picture books. Strongly recommended.

 

Karen Argent

November 2019