Pencil Dog by Leigh Hodgkinson

Russell’s Book of the Month - Pencil Dog by Leigh Hodgkinson

We say:

The best children’s books take one or more brilliant ideas and then distills them right down into their purest essence. Unlike, say, a film that has plenty of time for wild side plots or distractions, a children’s picture book only has a limited amount of space and words to make its point.

Pencil Dog is a explosive spectacle of colour and creativity and it has some big ideas contained within its precious pages.  Such as how all things will age and eventually die. Or the best way to remember those who are not with us anymore. Why doing what we love will make us feel better. Or why we even feel the need to create anything at all?

If this all sounds fairly deep and heavy, then don’t worry because Pencil Dog is one of the most vibrant and positive children’s books I have ever read. There are huge blocks of bright colour everywhere, a rainbow dress, an adorable pencil dog and wonderfully intricate drawings that fill the corners of every page. You’ll be asking yourself how can a book with THIS much colour in it still be, well..a bit sad?

Pencil Dog is a celebration of the power and beauty of art and the artistic spirit. This feels like Leigh Hodgkinson is someone examining her own muse and the very tools she employs to create her art. It all works pretty perfectly and when you think it’s over, right at the end it even goes and breaks the fourth wall!

We just love this book, it will delight your 4 year old, it will inspire you.

We had to make it Russell’s Book of the Month for July!

Russell Says:

I loved the relationship the girl had with her pencil dog. He’s really sweet and cute. I really liked looking at all the small details on every page. Even though I thought the ending would be quite sad, it turned out to be a happy ending after all!!

Its a big thumbs up from me!