Rory Dobner

A beautifully-illustrated picture-book, Rory Dobner's The Ink House tells the story of the eponymous mansion, built on a pool of ink, and home to artists and authors over the years. When its current human resident heads off in a hot-air balloon, in order to search for curios to add to his collection, the animal residents come out and have their annual Ink House Extravaganza. From Maestro, the musical masked mouse, to Freddie Foxglove, the fancily-dressed fox, each animal contributes something to the entertainment, enjoying many days of fun, until the resident is spotted in the skies, returning to the Ink House...

The Ink House is artist Rory Dobner's picture-book debut, and what a debut it is. The artwork, which looks to be done (appropriately enough) in ink, is marvelously detailed and immensely beautiful. The opening scene, in which the mansion is depicted, is simply magical, as are the many fanciful animal portraits. The story-line is interesting, although I found the text itself somewhat less engaging than the visuals. I was reminded a bit of Graeme Base's The Eleventh Hour, which, although it features a far more colorful style of artwork than that found here, also tells the tale of a group of animals having a party at a mansion. Recommended to anyone who enjoys beautifully-illustrated picture-books. For my part, I hope Rory Dobner produces more titles.… (mais)