Wow - What a Calamity!

Today I'd like to tell you about a new children's book, from photographer Olivier Toppin (he did the pictures for Molly Coxe's Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, which I reviewed here.)

The book is Calamity Chick! (translated from the original French edition, Pouissin Catastophe!). This playful story explores the fun adventures, hopes, and dreams of an accident-prone little chick named "Calamity".  Your children will be captivated as Calamity accidentally finds a passage from his new country home to the subterranean living quarters of "Molly" the Mole.  

This quirky little chick comes from the imagination of two artists from a studio based in France: photographer, Olivier Toppin and designer, Serge Rosenzweig. 

Photographer Olivier Toppin

The visual world found in this book has a unique style, conceived by these two talented artists. The lighting that looks like a perfect spring day was created in a photographic studio, and every set was built with a lots of rich natural elements and vintage objects. (It reminds me of the "I Spy" books that my kids used to love searching through for hidden objects.)

Designer Serge Rosenzweig

Olivier's original sketch rendering...

The finished set.

Young children will have fun discovering the circles on almost every page, which Olivier told me symbolize not only the passage of the chick from one surprising place to the next, but also speak to the creativity and ultimate realization Calamity finally has of his life long dream - as he comes "full circle"!  (There are some hearts hidden as well throughout the photographs.)

Olivier and Serge have certainly created a unique world for children to explore with Calamity Chick.  What is this chick's dream?  You'll have to get the book to find out! [hint: if you were a chick, what would you most want to be able to do?]  This joyful book is available as a kindle or paperback edition - here, from Amazon.