Day 78 – An inky shadow slid through the bricks and poured itself from the counter to the floor... (Pg 133)

Timecatcher by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick comes from the pile of books from The Book Depository. It is a children’s book that isn’t quite sure what age group it is catering to, possibly 10 – 14 year olds. It’s very graphic in some places, describing hangings and children left to die alone from head wounds. In other places the story will spell out everything in the most annoying manner. I am no editor or expert critic, however I have read quite a few children’s books in my time and the one thing I know about children’s books is, don’t talk down to them, they get it, and probably a lot quicker than we do.

The story is all over the place and the characters are too many and too underdeveloped. It's not the most awful book I've ever read and I don’t wish to criticise the author. From a small amount of research, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick appears to be a celebrated and award winning author and illustrator of picture books. This is perhaps her first attempt at a novel and the editor gave her free reign. Who am I to judge? Fitzpatrick is a published author.

Staying with children’s books, one of my favourite children’s authors is Eva Ibbotson. I still have her books from when I was younger, and after reading Timecatcher, I’m itching to pick up Which Witch and heave a sigh of relief. Adventurous story, funny, witty, well developed characters, a real page-turner... If you want a quick, easy and entertaining read I recommend you pick up a copy. I however cannot, I must continue on with the list at hand that is thankfully growing shorter.

In other childhood news, I ordered the animated film of The Magic Pudding online some weeks ago, and finally yesterday it arrived. I was, surprise surprise, disappointed. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I hadn’t just read the book and was painfully aware that the film was missing the best part, the story.

Watching the ‘making of’ extra feature I was absolutely disgusted to hear the ‘director’ Karl Zwicky say the book had fantastic characters and great pictures but no story... no story?? NO STORY?!! I’m sorry Mr Zwicky, if that is in fact your real name, but everything that Norman Lindsay put in to that story you and your ‘writers’ managed to remove. All the wit and humour and fanciful adventures which is what I loved most, missing, gone, not there. At least John Cleese as Albert the pudding managed to help some of Lindsay’s storytelling integrity shine through.

As a filmmaker I understand the need for a narrative, and the fact of the matter is, it was there in the book all along and should not have been meddled with. Win for the book.

207 days remaining, 27 books to go.