review : mirror

illustrated (or should i say built?) in jeannie baker's iconic collage style, this is a beautiful picture book to take time over. there are two stories and the book opens - now, how to describe this? - you open the book. on the left hand side there is the story of an australian family as they pass a regular day: breakfast, shopping, dinner, bedtime. on the right hand side is a moroccan family as they do the same. the little boys from each family wear a red top. the dads are in blue. everything is mirrored, but reflecting the different cultures. it's lovely - the moroccan landscapes in particular.

i could pour over jeannie baker's books for hours. years, even. as i read through her incredible where the forest meets the sea (1988) and window (1991) now, it is hard to believe i have been looking at them so long. and that i can still find new details every time.

mirror is published by walker books.