muddy wash

I love Bob Graham books. For the stories, for the illustrations, for the cosy but less than perfect domesticity, for the blokes in aprons. I don't think I've ever seen another kids book author who shows men doing domesticity with such regularity and ordinariness as Bob Graham. That's what charms me so much - it doesn't seem like something special or a big deal. It just is.The women also look like people we might know*.


In one of our other books - Queenie - I think, there is a little sub story where the dad is knitting something for the baby about to arrive and then later you see him ironing his handiwork. Most excellent. These pictures come from a board book I found at the opshop Helping - a busy day boardbook. Even though we love our Bob Graham books I passed it on to Betty for Maeve and Ruby.

*Oh, and I didn't realise but he is Australian! How could I have missed that? Which maybe partly explains why these families seem so real to me. Der. But I am delighted that he is one of ours.