Mrs Noah's Pockets
"At last all were gathered inside the ark. It heaved with animals, large and small. Mrs Noah wore a brand-new coat, with a hood and a cape - and very deep pockets. Lots of pockets."
When Mr Noah builds the ark, he makes two lists - one for all the animals who will come on board and one for those troublesome creatures he will leave behind. Meanwhile, Mrs Noah gets out her sewing machine and makes a coat with very deep pockets. Lots of pockets.
Review:
"Mayhew's flowing, vivid mixed-media illustrations give the book a warm texture all its own...a beautiful and necessary parable for our time."
* Kirkus Reviews Starred Review *"Beautifully and inventively illustrated."
* IBBY Link *"There is true synergy between text and illustration."
* Carousel *"[Mrs Noah] never wavers in her moral resolve, and her cleverness and compassion shine in this sly secular reimagining."
* Publishers Weekly starred review *"The whole book is superb: its overall design; Jackie Morris' perfectly crafted, at times poetic, prose and James Mayhew's dramatically eye-catching, new-style illustrations both large and small ... Together they make for what must surely become a classic picture book."
* Books for Keeps - 5 star review *"Marrying Jackie Morris's words with James Mayhew's richly textured illustrations, this book is fabulous in all particulars, from its duped patriarch believing that his wife is sewing curtains rather than secret pockets for centaurs, to it endpapers, full of wild waters and gambolling fantastic beasts."
-- Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian *"Subversive"
* Telegraph *"A magical, witty and gently feminist addition to the biblical tale."
-- Allison Pearson * Sunday Telegraph *"An original take on the Bible story and Mayhew's art sings off the page and is very different from his previous work. A terrific present."
-- Adele Geras * Achuka Best Books of the Year *"This different take on the famous story is told in poetic language and illustrated with strikingly beautiful pictures. ... A magical book."
* Juno *"A unique take on the story of Noah's Ark, Mrs Noah adds a sparkle of mischief to proceedings keeping the magic alive and the animals safe."
* Armadillo *"What a wonderful book on many levels. .. It is great to have a strong female adult lead character in a children's book."
* EYE *"This totally fresh and original take on the Noah's Ark story is an absolute bobby-dazzler and what an inspired author/artist pairing. Jackie Morris' s powerful prose is honed to perfection so that not a single word is superfluous."
* Red Reading Hub *"Stunning from start to finish, with sumptuous eye-catching artwork beautifully woven around this new twist on the well-known tale... When the story draws to a close, it'll definitely stick in your mind and we'd easily predict that this is bound to become one of the most talked about and visually stunning books of the year."
* Read It, Daddy! *"One of the most familiar of the biblical stories is retold with a surprising twist in this beautiful book. A thoughtful text is accompanied by stunning illustrations making this a satisfying and charming read. Highly recommended."
* Bookbag 5 star review *"The beautiful, other-worldly illustrations by James Mayhew encapsulate the dreamlike feel of the story; they combine collage, shape and print-making to excellent effect. The lyrical text carries a significant message about our stewardship of the world. An unusual and thoughtful book."
* Parents in Touch *"I suspect this will make it onto my list of favourite books of 2017. Lyrical, witty, SO beautiful, and just a tiny bit subversive. Superb."
* Playing by the Book *
Prizes: Winner of White Ravens 2018. Long-listed for CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2019.