Leaving the House

Meet the O'Hare Family; Mummy, Daddy, and siblings Jackson and (narrator) Harley. Our two erstwhile heroes love to cause chaos. Not that they really realise that this would be the result of their exuberant playing: they just get a little bit carried away. What could be more exciting than creating a pre-breakfast Superhero Station out of duvets and pillows? The perfect distraction from school preparation routines. And what parent hasn't emitted a long inward groan when faced with early morning bedroom chaos before they have even had time to boil the kettle for that all important reviving drink?

This wonderful pictureboook is brimming with keenly observed snapshots from almost every family's morning (chaotic) routines: the over enthusiastic pouring of breakfast cereal; the concerns over slightly dirty school jumpers; the importance of wearing specific clothes (especially when they can't be found); the messing around while getting dressed. I must admit that these are all very, very familiar scenarios for me. The rolling of Mummy's and Daddy's eyes are acutely felt on almost every page.

Harley, our narrator, has a keen awareness as to how to keep his audience entertained. The reader is given an almost minute by minute account of their morning's activities: their games; their conversations; their wash routines. All perfectly expressed with the linguistic and comic timing of an experienced storyteller: which, of course, Sally Nicolls is. Her phasing and structures exquisitely capture the sense of the young child, without being patronising or reductive. And, if you look carefully, you might even find the most perfectly placed Oxford comma! Long live the Oxford comma!

Ellie Snowdon's illustrations are pure perfection: this really is a sublime author/illustrator combination. Through the images, readers are encouraged to appreciate the early morning disparity between the energetic children, and parents who are still in the early stages of emerging as fully awakened and raring to go humans. The illustrations teem with sympathetic nods to the plight of the grown-ups, while celebrating the exuberance of the children. Each page, including the end papers, demands to be scrutinised and enjoyed. They are, quite simply, delightful.

These highly familiar scenes give this enchanting book a universal appeal: it will be enjoyed by adults and children alike. And the enjoyment age will span from 3 upwards. I have a sneaking suspicion that even sophisticated 11-year-olds, and teens might enjoy reminiscing over old times, and their younger days.

Picture book / Reviewed by Tracy Parvin, consultant

Suggested Reading Age 3+