Big Hid
Big and Little are a great team and do everything together, but one day Big decides to hide inside his shell! Little tries everything to get his friend out. He bakes his favourite cake and even brings friends along, but nothing works. What is wrong with Big? Little really misses having him around.
Roisin Swales is the winner of the World Wide Picture Book Illustration Competition 2015 for Johnny Dolans Cat and, similarly, in Big Hid she uses a limited but interesting colour palette and plays out the story in simple settings, which change colour according to the mood of the spread. But her great emphasis lies on the characters, which are quirky, funny and, despite their simple appearance, have spot-on expressions. Swales’s academic background is in animation and illustration, and it is easy to see why her work is so visually effective. Big Hid has a lovely rhythm and pace, and it also balances spot illustrations and closeups to great effect. Big Hid is an enjoyable read, visually too, for all ages and can easily become one of those books that is read over and over again.
