I watched a clip of Mini Grey talking about the illustrations to her book Jim last year when it was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway medal. She seemed like a pleasant, personable lady. However, I think something dark must lie behind this charming demeanour. Biscuit Bear is similar in tone to Jim, and is somewhat macabre. There is a scene of massacre after the dog has been in the kitchen and decimated the biscuit circus. I had to turn the page quite quickly, as C was most upset. In fairness to Grey, the words are quite vague, so I was able to pretend that the biscuits were just slightly dog-eared (excuse the pun), rather than eaten.
However, dark as some of the storylines are, the illustrations are outstanding, as always. Grey is a most fantastically gifted artist. My personal favourite is the oven, which looks just like the one my Nan used to have when I was a little girl.
J and I found this book at the library once and she regularly re borrows it. She loves it. I love all the pictures of cakes in the baker's shop at the end. With you on the kitchen massacre - although J was quite amused by that for once rather than disturbed. She gets weird about mad staring eyes in pictures though all of the time and always has done :-)
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