Goldfish Book

Mabel has three shelves of her own books at her own eye level.

When we read books at her house (as we did on Saturday, when it was too cold and rainy to go outside) Mabel always goes over and picks the books herself. This particular Saturday, the first book she picked was one I had never seen before – Paul Meets Bernadette by Rosy Lamb. I saw from the inscription that this  was a new addition to Mabel's library, a Christmas present from Mamma and Daddy.

Mabel and I spent a long time reading this one, stopping on each page to talk over the paintings that made the story seem so real.

Looking out of their fishbowl, the goldfish interpret the world according to their own understanding.

They think a vase of flowers is a forest with trees of every color. They think a curved yellow banana is a boat. Mabel was tremendously entertained by the mistakes of the fish and her own ability to correct their mistaken fish-ideas.

Bernadette goldfish told Paul goldfish (as they peered through their curved glass wall) that the teapot  was an elephant. She said two fried eggs on a plate were the sun and the moon.

When we finished the book, Mabel wanted to read it again. Which of course we did.

Rosy Lamb's illustrations were built up with the flashy brushwork and the bold impasto of traditional oil-painting technique, then reproduced on heavy glossy paper to make the most of their texture-effects and bold highlights.