John Burningham's picture books encourage care for the planet
Last night, whilst reading John Burningham's delightful picture book The Magic Bed, I realized anew how appealing Burningham makes "reuse" sound. You know, "Reduce, reuse, recycle." In the story, a bed found through a secondhand furniture shop becomes a vehicle for magical exploits.
In an interview in England's Guardian newspaper, Burningham discusses how his work has gotten more overtly political. One of Burningham's overtly political books is Hey, Get Off Our Train! In this one, animals seek shelter on a magical fast train because they are in peril. The line that repeats itself throughout: "Soon, there will be none of us left."
Adding one more "re" to the mix, his are books that we read and "reread."
I've linked to independent bookseller and extraordinary venue for children's books, The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne Vermont. They sell some adult books, too! You can also find -- or perhaps special order -- Burningham's books at your local bookseller.













