By Rébecca Dautremer (author) , Rébecca Dautremer (illustrator)
"Ordinary? Anything but!"
Hardback In Stock £16.99 £15.29
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June 2025 Book of the Month
This beautiful book will appeal to readers whatever their age and some of its double pages, each a unique homage to a great work of art, are so sumptuous that you will want them on your walls.
Rébecca Dautremer’s artwork is matched in scope and splendour by her ambition, for she sets out to do nothing less than examine a life, from birth right through to death, though by playfully giving her characters animal heads she ensures its appeal even to those too young for the concept.
And so we meet Jacominus Gainsborough, first as a teeny-tiny person (with rabbit head) in a pram, as his parents and grandmother decide his name, we consider that had he been born in a different time, or to different parents, he would have been someone else, and we follow him through his life. He makes friends, falls in love, has some sad, difficult times but generally understands what brings happiness, and achieves it. The final pages show him at the very end of it all, a beautiful image, still and restful after the expansive scenes that have come before, while the text counts up the sum of his life – in picnics, favourite songs, sudden realisations and more, including - the biggest of them all - memories.
It’s a book unlike anything else, with scenes and images to pore over, and ideas and a philosophy to set minds reeling. Extraordinary!
Journey through the life of the humble little rabbit, Jacominus Gainsborough. In twelve beautifully illustrated scenes that capture the changing seasons, this touching story celebrates life's simple joys and big moments, from happiness and love to challenges and doubts. Stunning artwork shows Jacominus at different ages throughout his life, highlighting the profound joy of being loved, and the ultimate happiness of reflecting on life surrounded by loyal friends, a cherished companion and grandchildren.
Read the full description
Rébecca Dautremer brings a universal message of the beauty of being alive in this stunning story.
Translated by Charis Ainslie
Praise for the French edition of The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough:
'One of her most intimate, most moving creations. Sublime.' - ELLE
'An album that can be viewed like a painting and read like a philosophical tale.' - Le Figaro
Rébecca Dautremer, born in 1971 in Gap, Hautes-Alpes, is a celebrated French illustrator and author of children's literature. She studied graphic design at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs and transitioned from photography to illustration in 1996, a shift that influenced her focus on lighting in her artwork. Dautremer's first children's book, L'Amoureux, was published in 2003 and won the Prix Sorcières. Known for her evocative gouache paintings, she collaborates professionally with her husband, author Taï-Marc Le Thanh.
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Journey through the life of the humble little rabbit, Jacominus Gainsborough. In twelve beautifully illustrated scenes that capture the changing seasons, this touching story celebrates life's simple joys and big moments, from happiness and love to challenges and doubts.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Stories about Family and Friends, Animal Stories, Gift Books, Children’s picture books, Picture storybooks, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts, Children’s / Teenage stationery and miscellaneous items
Hardback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough was written by Rébecca Dautremer and published by Post Wave Children's Books
The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough has 56 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. In Stock.
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