The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies

Tom Niland Champion & Kilmeny Niland (authors)

Deborah Niland (illustrator)

Allen&Unwin, Australia: October 2010

ISBN: 9781742371153

Genre: picture book

'In a big, big city, in a tiny, tiny apartment, lived a tall, tall man... and twelve babies.'

The tall, tall man loves his twelve babies very much, although they can get a little boisterous at times which is how he comes to be shut outside his apartment with all the Charlenes with him and all the Alistairs on the wrong side of the door. How can he reunite them? The cat flap seems the answer but to the babies this is just an extra good game. Will the tall, tall man ever get back inside?

This charming, whimsical story is from three members of a great literary dynasty. (Kilmeny and her son Tom were collaborating on the Thel Tall Man and the Twelve Babies when she died of cancer, so her twin sister Deborah stepped in to provide the illustrations.) The comical nature of the story is echoed in the cartoon-style drawings (with a touch of collage for quirkiness). Toddlers will love counting the babies and roar with laughter at the idea of entering the apartment through the cat flap – although be careful, it might put ideas into your young one's head!

Thoroughly delightful.