My Review
Bubble and Squeak are two fabulous new characters
that were both a joy to get to know!
Bubble is a super talented and very famous circus performer! But fame isn't everything and more than anything else Bubble just wants a friend!
Squeak is a brave little mouse who just wants a place to call home. He sees Bubble preform and can't quite believe his eyes. He stays hidden around the circus so he can watch her some more.
But when Bubble and squeak's worlds collide they become the best pair of unlikely Friends.
This is a touching, thrilling and very exciting story that lets little people know that friendships can be found in the most unlikely of places, and also in all different shapes and sizes.
Clara Vulliamy and James Mayhew are simply a match made in heaven and we simply loved everything about this book - especially the outcome!
Bubble and squeak are brought so beautifully to life with Clara's fabulous illustrations. They are big, bold, bright and quite simply wonderful!
Another big winner for our favourites shelf!
A BIG 5 Stars!
*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*
Check this book out on
Amazon
Now, I have something a little bit special for you all today. Clara and James interview each other for a super fun guest post! I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did! A big thank you to James and Clara for doing the post! :) x
Three questions for James from Clara:
1. Please introduce Bubble & Squeak! Can you tell everybody a little about the story?
Bubble
the elephant is a famous star and Squeak is just a very small, rather
lost little mouse. In the story, Bubble is terribly lonely, performing
every day for Mr Magnifico's theatre show, endlessly moving on to
another town. When Squeak sees her for the first time, he adores her,
but hasn't the courage to speak. He hides away and travels with them. Mr
Magnifico discovers his cheese is being nibbled, and he knows elephants
don't like mice. But if he catches Squeak, how will our little mouse
ever get to meet Bubble? To say more would spoil the story, but the end
is VERY exciting!
2. Usually you both write and illustrate your books. What do you like about collaborating on a book with someone else?
It's
extraordinary how much you can learn from working closely with someone
as I have done with you, Clara. We spark ideas off each other and they
grow much faster than when on my own. And I admire your skills hugely -
you are an inspiration! It's also exciting to see characters you
imagined take on a life of their own. Magical really. Working by
yourself can be satisfying. But it can be lonely and limiting.
Collaborating on Bubble and Squeak has been wonderfully creative and
most of all, delicious fun!
3. Describe a perfect day that Bubble and Squeak might spend together.
I
think Bubble likes to lie in which makes Squeak rather impatient. He
would love a picnic in the country, perhaps a boat on the river, lots of
cheeses to choose from, and a wind up gramophone to accompany them.
Bubble would prefer to take tea at the Ritz I think, followed up by a
box at the opera. She would take lots of tissues to blow her trunk if it
was a sad opera.
But TOGETHER what they would love most
of all would be to go to the seaside and eat ice cream and lollies and
go beach combing. Squeak would find shells for a necklace for Bubble and
she would build a sand castle for him to take a little nap in. Of
course she would need her parasol to keep the sun off her. But a snooze
in the sun, listening to the waves lapping, would be bliss after the
Pyramid of Peril! I think the Riviera beckons!
Three questions for Clara from James:
1. Please can tell us about Bubble's luxury perfumes, hats and furnishings. Is this inspired by how you live yourself?
I
think that Bubble has perfumes carried all the way from Paris by a
flock of birds, and hats hand-stitched by tiny mice. Her train carriage
is decorated in pink velvet and gold, with a plate always piled high
with the most delicious cakes. But OF COURSE this is just how I live
myself!
In my imaginary world, that is.
2. Now Squeak. You created a magical matchbox bed for him in the book.
What else would you like to make for him, now he's part of the team?
I
wonder if Squeak – in his navy jacket with brass buttons – has a rather
nautical look about him? Perhaps he would like a little boat to set
sail in, made out of an empty bonbon box, with a cake wrapper for a
sail. If the river was too big and the sea was too wild, he could float
happily around in Bubble’s bubbly bathtub!
Or a teeny
tiny train carriage, to be attached behind Bubble’s, all decorated in
silver and blue?
3. Where do you think Bubble and Squeak will go
next?
After their blissful travels you describe in my third question
for you, I think how lucky they are! What could possibly be nicer?
I
feel they would LOVE New York – jumping in and out of yellow cabs,
visiting all the very fanciest shops, waving to their fans from the top
of the Empire State, and performing on Broadway, of course…
