Scribble sunset by Ann Shenfield

Hachette Livre (Lothian Children's Books) 2008.
(Age 7+) Ann Shenfield, a prize winning animation filmmaker, has come up with a delightful picture book that will fuel the imagination of anyone who reads it. A little girl is determined to find the sunset and on the way she scribbles down her thoughts about the clouds she sees, a magpie and its babies, and Jones, the one person she doesn't want to think about.

Her musings raise all sorts of ideas about perspective in art and the whimsical illustrations could stimulate the reader to ask questions about different intriguing paintings and art works. These could be used to send the reader off on a quest to investigate them.

Perception, about art and people, is another major theme. As the little girl muses: 'Some things depend on where you're standing.' - a line could be a line or it could 'be the ocean with a glorious sunset over the horizon.' The author also explores, in a very gentle way, how the little girl's perception of Jones changed when they reached the ocean and she got to know him.

I loved this book and the ideas and pictures lingered in my mind long after I read it.
Pat Pledger