The trials and tribulations of ownership and antlers
This Moose Belongs to Me
by Oliver Jeffers
Oliver Jeffers picture books are really uniquely special. The combination of quirky, slightly surreal storyline and sumptuous illustrations is a winning formula. He really knows how to engage with children and produce original stories.
In this story Wilfred thinks he owns a moose which he calls Marcel. It is clear from the pictures that this isn’t actually the case and Marcel is really only interested in one thing. It is a thought-provoking book which brought up lots of questions about friendship and nature and ownership of animals. However, it isn’t a “message” book – it leaves any answers up to the reader.
The best thing about the book is the illustrations. I love the mixture of stunning landscapes which belong in an art gallery and the pen and ink cartoons of the characters. We spent a lot of time looking at the pictures of the landscapes and the mountains, imagining being there. It really is stunning.
If you love the style of Oliver Jeffers other books then you will certainly love this one too. It is perfect for age 5+ of
The trailer for the book really adds something to the story. I first saw it on a great review of the book on WHAM-BAM‘s blog. I love the idea of the characters running through different paintings in an art gallery. The way the book is summed up in the last part of the video is perfect: