Jim's Lion

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Description

Alexis Deacon, brilliant illustrator of Russell Hoban's final masterpiece, Soonchild, now reimagines Russell's touching story about a boy in hospital, who dreams wild and extraordinary dreams as he faces a life-saving operation. Jim is in hospital. Hes frightened. What if the doctors send him somewhere that he can't find his way back from Nurse Bami tells Jim that he must go to his "good place" and there, his "finder" will come looking for him. Everyone has a finder. And so, deep in Jims dreams, he finds his: a lion. In Soonchild, Russell Hobans final piece of fiction before he died, Alexis Deacon met the spirit and wit of Hoban's vision head-on brilliantly capturing the dark magic that lay at the heart of this fable. Since then, it feels almost impossible to imagine a better match for Hobans words than Alexis art.

Reviews

Powerful and full of symbolism, Jims Lion is an extraordinary work of art in every sense, and a collectors delight. Hoban was called a genius. This book once again reinforces that truth. * Buzz Words *

Author Bio

Russell Hoban was the renowned author of many famous novels, including Turtle Diary (which was made into a film starring Ben Kingsley and Glenda Jackson) and Riddley Walker, which won the John W. Campbell Award for science fiction. He also wrote over 50 children's books, including such classics as The Mouse and His Child, Bedtime for Frances, How Tom Beat Captain Najork and The Sea-Thing Child. Born in Pennsylvania in 1925, he moved to London in 1969, and spent the rest of his life there. Alexis Deacon's first picture book Slow Loris was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award. His second Beegu was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award and selected by the New York Times as one of the year's best illustrated children's books. In 2008, he was chosen as one of the Booktrust's ten Best New Illustrators. About illustrating Jim's Lion, Alexis says, "I wanted the reader to see the choices Jim makes in his dreams. Will he turn and run or will he keep on walking" Alexis lives in London, SE15. Visit his website at www.alexisdeacon.co.uk