By B.C.R Fegan (author) , Lenny wen (illustrator)
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My five year old son and I absolutely loved Don't Drink the Pink. In fact, he made me read it to him twice, one straight after the other, partly because he loved it and partly because he wanted to read it the second time after taking on board what happens in it. The book begins on Madeline's first birthday.
Her beloved grandfather is always busy in his workshop cooking up, as it turns out, wonderful potions that give Madeline a superpower. Each year, on her birthday, she gets to choose a new potion but each time her grandfather tells her "just don't drink the pink". She gets to be tiny, to be a giant, to be able to move faster than a locomotive and, my personal favourite, to be able to build rollercoasters for herself and her friends.
So many things about this book make it special. Firstly, it all rhymes which I think gives it a rhythmical flow that really keeps children (and their grown ups) interested. Secondly, the rhyme about not drinking the pink is the same for every birthday and it gave my son the opportunity to join in with the "just don't drink the pink" line with a big smile on his face.
He can read perfectly well himself but it made it a nice joint endeavour. Thirdly, the story is fun and magical. There's a sad element to it but it's tempered by an uplifting ending. Finally, the illustrations are gorgeous and complement the story perfectly. They're colourful and give an accurate depiction of what is happening in the story.
I really can't praise this book highly enough. Be aware, it does deal with the death of a relative but it's sensitively done and although my son did feel a bit sad at that bit, he bounced back with the ending. It's a fabulous little read for the 3-8 age group.
Nicola Smith, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
Madeline adores her grandfather – she always has. To everyone else he might seem a bit strange – an eccentric inventor – perhaps even a little mad. Yet Madeline knows that these are his very best qualities.
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Perhaps one of Grandpa Gilderberry’s most secret inventions is his box of potions which he delights in giving to Madeline each year on her birthday. Each potion conveys an unexpected and magical experience for Madeline, often to the frustration of her father. At one year of age, the red potion allows Madeline to breathe fire like a dragon and at two, the blue potion turns her into a mermaid for a day.
Year after year, Madeline selects a new potion with exciting results, however each time she reaches for her enchanted birthday present, her grandfather reminds her of only one rule – ‘don’t drink the pink’. Exploring the special relationship between a grandfather and his grandchild, the potions in Don’t Drink the Pink provide an apt metaphor for each magical moment. Yet with birthdays comes aging and this tale doesn’t shy away from what this means for both the young girl and her loveable grandpa.
BCR Fegan is a multi-award-winning author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults.
Raised on a small hobby farm only minutes from some of Australia’s greatest beaches, Fegan grew up inspired by the power of natures ambience. From the intensity of the frequent summer storms, to the overwhelming serenity of a lonely beach in the early hours of the morning. His ravenous appetite for both reading and writing soon saw him drawing on the transformational influence of the world around him to craft short stories, poems and picture books.
As time wore on, Fegan also found inspiration in the magic and depth of authors and compositors like Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. He was mesmerised by the potency of small but beautiful phrases that were carefully carved from the minds of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Frost. He grew to appreciate the worlds meticulously created by David Eddings, JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.
Eventually, he began to forge his own complete works. Weaving his own magic, piecing together his own phrases and crafting his own worlds. Agonising over plots that would inspire, characters that would be loved and circumstances that would delight. In time, his efforts saw a number of children’s books and young adult fiction produced. Through the efforts of TaleBlade Press, these works are now being published with that same careful dedication.
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A visually lovely book, the illustrations were colourful and detailed.
A visually lovely book, the illustrations were colourful and detailed. The story of Grandfather and granddaughter is captured well in the story, it gives you a warm happy feeling inside and I especially like the idea that the story is in verses.... Read Full Review
There is plenty to talk about and discuss-- which is your favourite potion, where did grandpa get the potions from? It's certainly one my grandchildren would enjoy reading.
This is a tale told in rhyme about Madeleine. Each birthday her grandfather gives her a potion to drink and each one gives her the power to do something magical - fly, grow, shrink etc.Until the last birthday when the only potion left is the pink one. Every page is beautifully illustrated and overlaid with verse which draws the reader in. This is a book for adults to share with the child, or for a young reader to read alone. There is plenty to talk about and discuss-- which is your favourite potion, where did grandpa get the potions from? etc. What happens, in the end, is another talking point and I am not sure I was completely happy with it, but it certainly is an unusual twist.... Read Full Review
Madeline adores her grandfather – she always has. To everyone else he might seem a bit strange – an eccentric inventor – perhaps even a little mad.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Don't Drink the Pink and determined it is suitable for children aged 5-8 years old
Don't Drink the Pink features in the following genres: Bedtime Stories for Children, Picture storybooks, Children’s picture books, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Featured Books for 7+ readers, Recommendations, Indie Books We Love, Short Stories, Featured Books for 5+ readers
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Don't Drink the Pink was written by B.C.R Fegan and published by TaleBlade
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