Anthony Browne is an award winning author and illustrator who has written more than forty books. Inherent in Browne’s illustrations is a sensitivity and empathy that oozes from the colours of his magnificently detailed, photo realistic pictures, which enhance the fantastical nature of his beautifully written narratives. I own two of Anthony Browne’s books; Gorilla and The Tunnel and my daughter adores them. Amelia’s 11 month old mind is utterly mesmerised by the faces of the gorillas and other primates that appear in Gorilla. She will turn the pages of the book and draw her face as close to the image on the page as she possibly can – often her nose ends up touching the page as she contemplates what she sees in front of her. It is very funny but quite beautiful at the same time.
Anthony Browne usually writes of lonely and sensitive child protagonists (both human and ape), and gorillas feature in many of his books. Of gorillas the author says, “I am fascinated by them and the contrast they represent – their huge strength and gentleness. They’re thought of as being very fierce creatures and they’re not.” I cannot wait for Amelia to understand Browne’s words and the message behind each of his stories – and I cannot wait to add more of Anthony Browne’s books to Amelia’s bookshelf.
Gorilla is the story of a lonely girl named Hannah who feels ignored by her dad because he is often busy at work. Hannah loves gorillas and when her birthday arrives she asks her father for a special gift. Hannah receives an unexpected guest who whisks her away on a lovely adventure, and her dad surprises her.
Gorilla is the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Kurt Maschler Award.
The Tunnel tells the tale of a brother and a sister who rekindle their sibling bond after crawling through a dark tunnel and discovering a new, scary, world. Big brother learns that perhaps annoying little sisters are not so bad to have around after all.
