Mr. Gumpy's Outing

"Yes, so this for me is about the mood. It’s a summer’s day and not much is going on apart from the chance to go on a boat. It’s so atmospheric. The illustrations are atmospheric, and it just drifts along quite nicely, until of course … chaos! But everyone’s still pleased they went on the walk. He captures the mood perfectly and I’ve always been drawn to his books and the way he uses the page. We’ve got the lovely sketching monochrome drawings on the one side, and then the colour on the other. Sometimes he uses two worlds on the same page. I’ve always found that really fascinating. His cast of characters is fantastic. It just moves along at a great pace, and I love what happens. Also, his drawing, again. It feels very alive because you can see where, at the beginning with the house, you can see where he’s changed his mind about the drawing of it. You can actually see a different shape, or a different outline behind the main one; that brings the drawings alive. You do feel as if you’re looking through his sketchbook. I find that keeps it really fresh."