posted on 07 Mar 2023

My Mummies Built a Treehouse by Gareth Peter, illustrated by Izzy Evans

If your greatest wish in life is to have your very own treehouse, then you have to hope that you’ve got two mummies like the ones in this heart-warming story to help you out.

There’s so much to think about when you decide that you’re going to build a treehouse. First (and probably foremost!) you have to find the right tree. You don’t want one that’s too twisty or too tall – but you also don’t want one too small or one that’s likely to fall down because it’s gone rotten inside. Choices, choices……..

Then it’s all about the planning – and that’s where the adult experience of your two mummies can be invaluable. Buying the right materials for your construction comes next and that can be a super-exciting thing to do in its own right. But, be careful because it’s possible to be a bit too enthusiastic and you don’t want to break anything before you even get it home.

And then it’s hard work all the way for the three of you. Cutting, sawing, sanding and painting. But the rewards are there to see as the treehouse takes shape and the roof is nailed on just in time to keep the rain out.

So, it’s time to take the first climb up the ladder to your new, delux treehouse in the sky and discover that you have:

“The perfect palace in the clouds 

  for all my friends and me.”

Then you invite your friends come around and experience the magnificence of the treehouse kingdom – until, that is, their parents (the monsters) come to take them home at the end of the day.

What can be cosier at the end of a long, exciting day than to end it curled up with your two mummies drinking hot chocolate and eating biscuits beneath the stars?

This is a charming story told in simple rhyme about the need to have big dreams and to have adults who believe in you enough to help make your special big dream come true.

The book has been lavishly and sensitively illustrated by Izzy Evans, an artist who draws inspiration from nature, mythology, and the multicultural history of their city. The colourful drawings fill the pages and give the verses a life and substance that draws the reader into a magic world.

The book is brought to you by Lantana Publishing who are brilliant champions of inclusive picture books for younger readers. You should be able to get the book through your local independent bookshop but, if you prefer you can order it from Lantana’s own website.

 

Terry Potter

March 2023