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

Wednesday 17 March 2021

Review: Hugo's Runaway Legs

Hugo Holt woke up one day, to find his legs had run away.

In Hugo's Runaway Legs, it’s the legs that are the stars. What a beginning! What a funny and fabulous idea to draw attention to an important issue. Our children’s current, sedentary habits due to electronic stimulation, need our attention. This book will get it!

Hugo’s legs run away in protest of his sitting-all-day habit. They jump on a bus to escape and try to teach Hugo a lesson. For legs were made to jump and play, run and swim and move all day.

What was Hugo to do? He had to get them back!

To do so, he borrows the nearest thing – a frog’s legs. But they only jump and cannot run to catch the bus. At the Zoo he tries a fawn’s legs but they are too frisky and springy.

He moves on to a hippo’s; far too fat; then to a cheetah’s, they refused to go. The giraffes, well, you can imagine. This is pure disaster! Hugo cried. He’ll never catch the bus and get his legs back.

Who will be fast enough to catch the bus and stop it for Hugo to reclaim his legs?

What must he change to keep those legs with him?

Stunning illustrations in vibrant colours are enhanced by the use of a white background throughout. Leigh Brown’s impressive translation of Alys Jackson’s clever and humorous rhyming text, tells an extended story.

This is a brilliant idea that shows children, with specific examples, how important movement is. Sitting too much has created a health problem for the young in many countries . Perhaps, with Hugo’s help, we can show them what can happen if we stay seated too long. This applies to adults too. If you don’t use them, you lose them!

Title: Hugo's Runaway Legs
Author: Alys Jackson
Illustrator: Leigh Brown
Publisher: Larrikin House , $ 24.99
Publication Date: 1 February 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780648804987
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book