thewashingmachinepost




..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

eric's big day. a bicycle race unlike any other. rod waters. velopress hardback. 28pp illus. £9.95

eric's big day

mrs washingmachinepost is, as i have mentioned on previous occasions, a childminder, and during the current school holiday, is followed by at least two young children from monday to friday. the two youngsters, aged three and five are brother and sister and currently attending swimming lessons at the local leisure centre each morning. the unseasonally warm, sunny weather and sweltering temperatures have led to an enforced daily visit to the small beach adjacent to bowmore harbour, where sand drawings, paddling and fort building have been the order of the day.

eric's big day

on their way home today, after dropping into the restaurant nearby to acquire lunch, the two kids popped into the office to taunt me with their vittles. prior to playing hooky for the afternoon to review a highly appropriate cycle jersey, i had been watching the commonwealth games women's pursuit qualifying on bbc iplayer on my web browser. as mrs washingmachinepost was keen to get home not only for lunch but also because she had a younger child in a buggy, i implored the older two to follow me outside. except on reaching the bright and sunny outdoors, i turned to find i was alone.

peeking round the office door, it was most encouraging to see both children sitting on my swivel computer chair eagerly watching the track cycling. calling on them to come on out, i heard only "but we want to watch the cycle racing!". these are the very words any childminder's husband wishes to hear, particularly since they were still grasping their lunch in a brown paper bag.

eric's big day

you can never start them too young.

in order that we might collectively start the process of brainwashing our offspring, and perhaps those of others, it gives me great pleasure to recommend eric's big day the latest offering from velopress, a book written and beautifully illustrated by author rod waters. originally published in france as 'le grand jour d'eric, the book has now been translated into english for which we ought to be eternally grateful.

at 28 pages, it hits the ideal spot for reading to the future sir bradley or katie archibald before they put their heads on the pillow at night. it is also a fine alternative to reading how tom beat captain najork and his hired sportsmen the night before.

i have no intention whatsoever of giving away the storyline - that's what your £9.95 is for - but suffice it to say, eric has been invited to emily's house to watch the cycle race and intends to get there by bicycle. not only does he prepare well for this relatively short trip, but has also need of taking a bunch of flowers to thank emily for the invitation.

now buy it (even if you've no kids to read it to).

velopress | cordee books

saturday 26 july 2014

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................