Two Peas in a Pod, by Chris McKimmie

Violet calls me Marvellous.
My real name is Marvin.
Mum reckons me and Violet are like two peas in a pod.
It’s true.
We go together like fish and chips, hops and skips, the OO in moo.
We lived next door to each other until, one day, Violet left and went to the moon.

Violet and Marvin have been friends for as long as Marvin can remember – or, as Marvin puts it, since dinosaur time. Mum says they are like two peas in a pod. They have adventures together and, with Violet, Marvin learns to use his imagination. But when Violet moves away, Marvin is sad – and, as time passes he almost puts Violet in with the forgets, until his mother surprises him with a trip to see Violet and he remembers not just Violet but also how to imagine things.

Two Peas in a Pod is a lovely picture book tale told from a child’s-eye perspective of what happens when a friend moves away. The illustrations use a mix of acrylic, ink, watercolour, gouache, pastels, string and pencil, a whimsical mix which reflects the whimsy of the tale and of the scenes they render. There is lots to discover in the illustrations, and the reader will enjoy rereading.

Great for toddlers and junior primary.

Two Peas in a Pod

Two Peas in a Pod, by Chris McKimmie
Allen & Unwin, 2010
ISBN 9781742373041

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