Grotlin

"...So, a story by the award-winning Benji Davies that children will adore. No, they won’t be scared; they’ll be relieved once they realise that nothing is as it seems. A story that will enchant you with the author’s own illustrations and make you want to seek out all his previous works!”

"...how lovely it is to become Grotlin yourself every now and then and seek your own ways of escaping to freedom. It’s not always easy to build a hot-air balloon, but it’s lovely to know which things or people help you relax, find peace and have a good time, feeling free and happy."

“The eye sees whatever you think!” I pause at this last sentence and say to myself: “Look at the wonderful message this book conveys to my children; my whole worldview is right there in front of me! The eye sees what you think!”

"...Benji Davies delves into the veins of urban myths, into the way they are born and spread, and crafts a gripping mystery story that culminates in a stirring ode to freedom. At the risk of revealing more than I should and spoiling some of the magic, I pause, and urge every reader to do the same, in M. Davies’s masterful play with colours and shadows, in the captivating depiction of a Victorian small town, in the visual elements that heighten the suspense and weave the mystery, in the constant challenge to the reader to return again and again to the pages and reread the book, and in the – cliché though it may be, I’ll say it – shocking finale that opens up a catalogue of issues for reflection."

"...Appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes fear and prejudice can lead us in the wrong direction, create false impressions and frighten us. But this book was not written to frighten. It is a hymn to freedom, to striving, to the right to dream."

"...Benji Davies leaves behind for a while ‘Noah and the Whale’, ‘Grandad’s Island’, ‘Friends on the Hill’ and Little Bear, and dives into Britain’s horror stories and urban legends. [...] A story full of suspense but also plenty of laughter, superbly translated by Antonis Papatheodoulou..."

"...Read Grotlin without fear. Let yourself go. Children will understand more easily than adults because they haven’t yet built prisons for their own Grottlins inside themselves. But you adults, as soon as you close the book, open the little door a crack and give your Grottlin the chance to fly. It deserves it!"

"...The children’s book *The Grottlin* is one of those books that find a place in the library of our hearts. With its rhyming text and alliteration, it lends itself to lively, playful – theatrical readings, superbly performed by our beloved Antonis Papatheodoulou."

"...we guarantee that your little ones won’t be scared; on the contrary, they’ll be impressed by the story’s happy ending and will want to read it over and over again, now searching for the details—the spoilers—in the brilliant illustrations. The story is also perfect for reading aloud, thanks to its rhythm and rhymes. Play with the tone and voices, and keep an eye on your belongings. Perhaps a Grottlin is hiding under your bed or inside your chimney. Don’t let it frighten you. It means no harm…”

"...Our whole family has come to adore Benji Davies! We first met him in *Noah and the Whale*, and the excellent *Grandad’s Island*, which won us over with its wonderful illustrations and charming colours. This time, however, I truly believe he has surpassed himself and created an illustrated book full of mystery and suspense that literally captivates you at first glance."

"...Benji Davies’s stunning illustrations and the rhyming text make it simply magical. So magical that you find yourself humming as you walk home: ‘Grotlin, your home, spins round in the dark at night...’!"

"...A wonderful story with rhyming verses and superb illustrations inspired by the striking Victorian buildings that will charm even the most discerning young reader. The message it conveys to children? Not to be swayed by what they hear around them and not to believe things they haven’t seen with their own eyes…!"

"...‘You see things one way, but they’re actually another,’ says Benji Davies, and in essence he is addressing both parents and children. As a child reads this illustrated fairy tale, they will feel the tension, which is, however, released at the end. They will see that what is left unsaid, what is implied, is in fact far less threatening than we initially thought."

"...Reading this book gives us the chance to talk to our children about things that, in the end, may not always be as they seem. To talk about how our minds sometimes distort things and make them seem bigger than they really are. And if you’re worried they might be scared, I can assure you that won’t happen. We read *Grotlin* all the time, trying to discover new things about this strange creature.”