'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Saturday 21 September 2013

Review: Omar the Strongman

Omar is new in town. Arriving with his adorable little suitcase and a whopping great moustache, he notices a sign outside the circus. Wanted: Odd Jobs Man.

Omar is the man for the job. He meets the ringmaster, the trapeze artists, the clowns, the horse rider, the man who shoots himself from a canon—and Mavis the elephant with her lucky pink bow. Omar and Mavis fast become good friends.

Omar is good at his job. He tidies, counts ticket takings, scrubs, dusts and moves animals, but in the quiet moments, he loves to sit in the empty stalls and watch the circus acts—all the while dreaming of having an act of his own.

It’s not until the mayor arrives to see a show, that a fortuitous event occurs—and Omar’s dream may finally be within his grasp.

This charming, funny book is a posthumous release for one of our most talented author/illustrators, and is a glorious addition to the legacy Gregory Rogers has left behind.

The pace of the text, the warmth of its characters, its heart-thumping illustrations that delight both the eye and the heart … Omar the Strongman is a divine picture book for its ability to entrance all the senses. Including the spirit.

Title: Omar the Strongman
Author/Illustrator: Gregory Rogers
Publisher: Scholastic, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: 1 July 2013
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781742834368
For ages: 3 - 8
Type: Picture Book