#413 of 1001 · September 17, 2021

Pied Piper Week continues to nibble at my imagination, and today I’ve got an entry written by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by @emmachichesterc. This adaptation expands greatly on the source material, incorporating a host of world-building details, narrative, and dialogue. Morpurgo tells the tale from the perspective of the lame child left behind after the youth of Hamelin are led into the mountain. The Piper is shown to be an unambiguously heroic character, only removing the children to rebuke the mayor for the rampant inequity of his city and, moreover, bringing them back when conditions are improved and justice is achieved. Chichester Clark provides appealing pencil and acrylic art, reveling in the variegated outfits of the characters, particularly the motley ensemble of the eponymous character. #piper #rat #rats #child #children #german #germany #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks