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Trumpets are yellow-furred, mouse-sized hippos. Gentle summery creatures, they enjoy gardening and botany as they range about the English countryside. As winter approaches, they head for Deep Down to hibernate. Their nemeses are the Grumpets. A "sharp, pointed, cross-looking lot", the Grumpets live in glistening icy wastes to the north. The story follows the Trumpet Podd on his reconnaissance into Grumpet territory, foiling an invasion as winter approaches.
This world is the creation of Peter Cross. Transcending the storyline supplied by Peter Dallas-Smith, Cross's artwork is an absorbing world of wonder. His pictures are full of intricacies, puzzles and jokes. Throughout the book are
- 23 hidden faces,
- Coded phrases in Grumpet language,
- Weird objects strewn about, like an equinoctial dial,
- Wonderful equipment, like hot water-bottle bombs,
- Curious cross-sections, and
- Scores of botanical notes.
From Silent Lake to Deep Down, from Midwinter Tower to Marchwood, the world of Trumpets and Grumpets is thoroughly magical. The magic is really in the artwork, so I'll be peppering my posts with some trumpety image snippets.
1 comment:
Sounds like an awesome book !
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