Bamboozled

This is FUN book!

A girl visits her grandfather, as she does every week, and they do all of the same things they usually do: play cards, have tea and pastries, look through old photo albums, work in the garden, etc.

As they go about their normal routine, the girl insists that something seems odd. This seems like a simple premise, but UK/Australian illustrator David Legge hs filled the pages with visual incongruities, trompe l'oeil, and jokes children and adults will love, and these make it very difficult for the reader to figure out what, in Grandpa's unusual world, the girl might consider to be odd.

Each page is filled with so many delightful surprises, noting them all could keep a child busy for a looooong time ;) Some of my favorites include: the top half of a partially carved marble statue finishing the carving, Grandpa pouring tea from a watering can into a flower pot, a gnome jailed in a tree stump, and the swan boat that takes the granddaughter across the moat that surrounds Grandpa's house.

While the girl tries to puzzle out what is different during this visit, Grandpa helpfully suggests that maybe it's because he redecorated the hallway, or bought some new fish, but that isn't it. As she is saying good-bye to him on the doorstep, she realizes what has been out of place all day.

While this title is currently out-of-print, it is easy to find on Amazon, and, of course, your local library is always a great place to start.

Personal note: The grandpa reminds me a bit of my dad, who has been gone for 8 years - especially the picture of him cheating at cards ;) In all seriousness, he would have loved to harness his creative energy to design a home like the one in this story, and enjoy it with his grandchildren.