We continue the serie of events related to Hallowen with a tricky business: launching a rocket in the basement of a 21 floors building! In 1912’s New York, after the janitor’s son lits up a rocket that goes up ‘til it reaches the top flat.

It is not SF, nor a dream of mine; it is not even a TV commercial or animation. It is the “Rocket book” by Peter Newell, one of the fathers of children illustrated books.

I believe that in every aspect of life we need to look up to the pioneers and the ones that took things at the highest level.

In the world of children illustrated books, Peter Newell is one of them. He illustrated Mark Twain and Lewis Caroll, to name two of the famous writers he worked with. What I loved the most about this book is the attention he paid to details, the expresivity of his characters and the ability to create a scene without overloading the illustrations. And the use of objects and words that are now lost from our homes and vocabulary.

It is a book to have and to read, at any age, I would say.

My 7 yo daughter had an interesting reaction to the book. She asked me why all the people in the book were so amazed and had eyes so big. And then she wondered what it would happen if we lit rocket in our building’s garage 🙂

I didn’t respond the obvious, that we would fly from there as soon as the rocket in the book did…