I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it on the blog before, but I love picture books. Super-detailed, nature-inspired, Beatrix-Potter-esque ones especially. So I expected to like the Brambly Hedge books, which are pretty much the definition of “super-detailed, nature-inspired, and Beatrix-Potter-esque”. I actually worried that they’d be too much like Beatrix Potter, and I’d waste an evening reading rip-offs.
Luckily for me, Brambly Hedge isn’t a rip-off. It’s more cutesy, and not as dark as, say, The Tale of Mr. Todd, where a bunch of baby rabbits are kidnapped and stuffed into a stove. But the books are full of details about life in the hedge. The mice run a dairy mill and a flour mill, work paw-driven looms, and dig interconnected tunnels between their houses when it snows. It’s all incredibly accurate, and apparently the author/illustrator, Jill Barklem, spent years researching old agricultural practices to make sure she got the details right.
The illustrations are also incredibly detailed--and delicious. They’re too many pies, cakes, and puddings to count, and I think the food actually ended up being my favorite part of the whole book. I mean, how can you resist descriptions like these?
“Mrs. Crustybread baked a huge hazelnut cake with layers of thick cream, and Wilfred’s mother decorated it. Mrs. Apple made some of her special primrose puddings.”
--Spring Story
“All the kitchens along Brambly Hedge were warm and busy. Hot soups, punches and puddings bubbled, and in the ovens pies browned and sizzled.”
--Winter Story
And yes, it’s always the girl mice who end up doing the cooking, but I almost don’t care because if I could move to Brambly Hedge, I would.
The Four Seasons of Brambly Hedge includes the first four books in the series and an interview with Jill Barklem, where she talks about her inspirations and creative process. It’s perfect for curling up with after a tough week (like I did) or if you’re looking for a book that makes you hungry. If you like picture books, I can almost guarantee you’ll fall in love with this one.
I grew up with Brambly Hedge and I ADORE IT SO MUCH. I always loved looking at the tiny windows and staircases and ballrooms hidden inside trees and stumps in the illustrations :) this review makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd read these books when I was younger--they're so intricate and lovely. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteOh! These stories look just delightful! Thanks for sharing- I'll definitely have to look them up! ^^
ReplyDeleteDo look them up! The illustrations are especially gorgeous :)
DeleteOh my these illustrations look GORGEOUS. I've never been one for picture books but you're making me reconsider that opinion! Brambly Hedge seems to be the fluffy thing that I might just need one day after reading too much dark YA fantasy XD
ReplyDeleteIt would work well after a binge of more dark/YA stories. I read it alongside Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling, and it was nice to take a break from the gruesome, twisty mystery every once in a while (even though I LOVE gruesome, twisty mysteries). I do hope you check these books out!
DeleteI was actually legitimately obsessed with Brambly Hedge when I was a kid! I absolutely adored how everything was so cute - and it was also about animals, which was always a guarantee that I would love something. I have a really special teacup ans saucer set of Spring, and I am always marvelling at the illustrations. Now I want to go back and read these!
ReplyDeleteThe illustrations are so beautiful and detailed that I feel like I could spend hours studying them. And I've seen some of the Brambly Hedge-themed tea sets--they're gorgeous!
DeleteThanks so much for commenting!