The award-winning illustrator of "The Gruffalo" and "Zog" chooses five favourites. His new picture book, "Welcome", is out now, with a donation to the non-profit Three Peas for every copy sold.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
The Shrinking of Treehorn
Florence Parry Heide and Edward Gorey, 1971
This story perfectly portrays the feeling of powerlessness in childhood. Little Treehorn finds himself shrinking – no magic potions involved – and nobody cares... least of all his parents. Still, it’s a humorous story with exquisite drawings by Gorey.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Member of the Wedding
Carson McCullers, 1946
My number one coming-of-age story. I still have my 1974 German edition. Frankie is a 12-year- old girl in the American south and McCullers beautifully describes the pains, dreams and feeling of exclusion that can come with growing up. There are very sad moments, but it ends with "an instant shock of happiness". I wonder what kind of adult Frankie might have become – hopefully one with a happier life than her creator.
Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad
Daniel Finkelstein, 2023
I'm deeply worried by the lack of knowledge of the horrors of the 20th century and shocked by the rise of antisemitism. Finkelstein's grandparents experienced both at first hand. This is their story and everybody should read it.
Map: Collected and Last Poems
Wisława Szymborska, 2015
My favourite poet and the worthy winner of a Nobel Prize. This wise Polish woman covers the spectrum of all things human, and her poems are full of wonder. Probably a good book to have on a desert island.
-
A tour of southern GreenlandThe Week Recommends New international airport has given this 'bucolic' island a welcome boost
-
Bonnie Blue: taking clickbait to extremesTalking Point Channel 4 claims documentary on the adult performer's attention-grabbing sex stunts is opening up a debate
-
Broccoli and lentil salad with curried tahini and dates recipeThe Week Recommends Flavoursome and healthy, this creamy salad is perfect as part of a mezze
-
Savages: a tragi-comedy set in a 'quirky handcrafted world'The Week Recommends This new animated film by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Claude Barras is undeniably political, but it has a hopeful message
-
Merryn Somerset Webb chooses five books on how the world worksThe Week Recommends The financial columnist picks works by Peter Turchin, Adam Smith and Christopher Clark
-
6 sturdy post-and-beam homesFeature Featuring a wood stove in New York and hand-hewn beams in New Hampshire
-
The Naked Gun: 'a dumb comedy of the expert kind'The Week Recommends Liam Neeson shows off his comedy chops in this reboot of Leslie Nielsen's crime spoof
-
King of Kings: 'excellent' book examines Iran's 1979 revolution and its global impactsThe Week Recommends Scott Anderson 'easily and elegantly' paints a picture of a century of Iran's history
