Violet Mackerel's Formal Occasion by Anna Branford
Ill. by Sarah Davis. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781925081091
Highly recommended for readers from 6+. Another enchanting story in
the Violet Mackerel series, that celebrates friendship, family,
thoughtfulness and creativity. Sarah Davis's illustrations are
engaging, a perfect match to the simple, delightful story of Violet,
her family and friends.
Rosie and Violet are twig-digging at Clover Park, keen to discover a
hidden or lost treasure. Violet's love of reading archaeology books
from the library has lead them to this new hobby. To their
amazement, they uncover a dirty, dusty old locket. With Vincent and
older sister Nicola's help, they clean and polish their find, a
little heart-shaped locket with a broken chain. After pondering
about the original owner, they thoughtfully decide to share the
ownership, wearing the locket on alternate days. The next morning
the girls are buzzing with excitement as they dress for a special
formal occasion a tea party with Rose's grandparents at the
BOATHOUSE. Family life is busy, Vincent is making Saturday breakfast
pancakes, Mum is finishing off the knitted toys ready for sale at
the shop while Nicola and Rose help Violet with her hair and
clothes.
Lost and found is an underlying thread throughout this junior novel,
Mum loses her basket of knitted toys when she helps an old lady at
the train station, the girls find the locket and discover the joys
of fine dining. Veronica and Max, Rose's grandparents use
imaginative storytelling to help the girls understand a way to get
over losing something precious.
Violet and Rose decide to cheer Mum up by making up stories about
all the people who are playing with her knitted toys and they share
their locket with her. They make a perfect plan, a surprise FORMAL
OCCASION for Mum, after she spends the whole week remaking all the
little creatures and delivering them to the toy shop.
Rhyllis Bignell