Mathew's Reviews > Aunt Amelia's House

I absolutely adore Cobb's watercolour and pastel illustrations; there is something warm and comforting about them and I know, as a young child, I would have taken real pleasure pouring over the images. This ability to tap into what it is to be a child and tend to a child's imagination is why Cobb is so successful.

I also would have loved Aunt Amelia herself for in a world populated by humans, it appears that the children's aunt...is a crocodile in a bright pink and white striped dress. She's also clever, kind, generous and wise.

When the children find out that they are spending the day and night with their aunt, they're overjoyed. However, they become a little disheartened when they find out that the day will mostly be filled with chores such as watering the garden, picking fruits, feeding Aunt Amelia's pets and so on. But Aunt Amelia has a way of making these tasks fun and light and memorable. I particularly loved the spread of her feeding her pets: cuteness overload!

It's a sweet little picturebook in which a subtle message around the joy of caring for your immediate natural environment is key (alongside helping out with the housework). It helps that each page is crammed with things to enjoy exploring and sharing with others.