Rating: *** 3 stars

Fiona French,
The Smallest Samurai
Frances Lincoln.

Ages Under 5

This Japanese version of Tom Thumb is presented by Kate Greenaway Medal winner Fiona French. Little Inchkin arrives in the world as a result of an appeal to the Buddha by a couple longing for a child 'even if it is only as big as a lotus flower'. The Buddha takes them at their word, and Inchkin spends his childhood and youth cultivating wisdom and courage, but aching to be as other people. He sails away from his home in a nutshell, and is eventually engaged by a prince as a samurai to protect his daughter. A confrontation with dragons enables Inchkin to demonstrate his skill and strength.

There is nothing new about the story itself, of course, but the classical setting enables French to create for it a backdrop of sharp-edged, stained-glass style figures and scenes in blazing colours. These occupy the entire space between the decorated margins of the double page spreads, with blocks of bold black print in vivid contrast against them.

The result is an attractive and very readable re-imagining of a familiar tale.

George Hunt