Joe Todd-Stanton’s junior graphic novel Arthur and the Golden Rope was a standout debut of 2016: a turbo-charged, 56-page story inspired by Norse mythology that told the story of Arthur, a young, unlikely (is there any other kind?) hero who finds himself on a dangerous quest to help Thor, god of thunder, defeat the wolf monster, Fenrir. Channelling Tove Jansson, Tintin and Japanese anime studio Studio Ghibli, the book’s enchanting, richly coloured illustrations had details to savour in every frame: a godsend for parents of reluctant learner-readers.
The illustrator’s prompt follow-up, The Secret of Black Rock, is pitched younger (three-to five-year-olds) but its drawings are infused with the same mystical charm. The story is simply told: Erin, daughter of a fisherwoman (yay!), is determined to visit the sea’s dreaded black mountain, where terrible things are said to happen. After stowing away on her mum’s boat, she is stranded and discovers the rock is a live creature, home to an abundance of sealife.
The gentle environmental message takes on a kind of magic in Todd-Stanton’s pictures of Erin suspended in the ocean among incandescent jellyfish or facing down a monstrous, weaponised fishing fleet in the moonlight. A young artist to watch.
• The Secret of Black Rock by Joe Todd-Stanton is published by Flying Eye Books (£11.99). To order a copy for £10.19 go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99
