Tom refers to his grandfather as 'Collar' because he drags him around on a lead. One day, Tom decides that he will take Collar on a walk to see the puddles he has named after the members of the family, but the puddles are not there.
Collar insists that this is because it hasn't rained, but Tom believes that it's just because they haven't been put in yet. He wanders off, leaving Collar talking to Mrs Whitebobblehat, and comes across just the person he needs . . . Finally, puddles restored to their full, family-resembling glory, Tom and Collar go home for tea.
The tender and surprising story is enriched by the scenery of Sussex lanes in summer . . . Briggs places magic in the context of the everyday and moves us - The Sunday Times
Puts sentiment, science and imagination comfortably side by side - Guardian
A lovely blending of realism with a child's imagination and a magical world - The Bookseller
Briggs is on top form once more with this strange and moving story - Books for Keeps
A tale of childhood joy and innocence, this has the hallmark of a Brigg's classic, where, for a moment, reality is suspended and imagination takes over - Manchester Evening News
Author
About Raymond Briggs
Raymond Briggs (1934-2022) was one of our most respected and beloved artists. Born in Wimbledon Park in 1934, he studied at the Wimbledon School of Art and later at the Slade School of Fine Art, and went on to produce a treasure trove of work. He created characters that are now icons for generations of children, including Fungus the Bogeyman, Father Christmas and, of course, the beloved Snowman.
He won many awards over his career including the Kurt Maschler Award, The Children's Book of the Year, Dutch Silver Pen Award, and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award twice for his Mother Goose Nursery Treasury and Father Christmas.
Raymond Briggs was awarded the BookTrust 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award. The BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates the body of work of an author or illustrator who has made an outstanding contribution to children's literature. The award was set up in 2015 to celebrate an author or illustrator's outstanding contribution to children's books. The first winner was Shirley Hughes, author of Dogger and the Alfie series, whilst Judith Kerr was awarded the accolade in 2016.
Discussing the impact of Raymond Briggs’ work, Judge Shami Chakrabarti said: "Raymond is a true artistic genius who has touched the hearts of millions of children of all ages. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and his particular style of illustration is unmistakable as are his understated and poignant words of narrative and dialogue. His talent expresses his values and with his choice and treatment of subjects he brings our history and contemporary challenges to life."
The biography of his parents in graphic novel form, Ethel & Ernest, became a bestseller in the UK; see below a trailer for the animated feature film based on the novel.
