Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers

Description

John Burningham's classic first picture book reissued with the original cover rescanned and redesigned for its 50th anniversary. Once upon a time there were two geese called Mr and Mrs Plumpster. Each Spring they returned to the marshes of their ancestors, and Mrs Plumpster laid her eggs. Soon six fine young Plumpsters hatched- Archie, Freda, Jennifer, Oswald, Timothy and Borka. But Borka was different. Borka had no feathers and could not fly. When winter came the other geese flew off in search of warmer climates, leaving Borka all alone. But her adventure was only just beginning . . .

John Burningham was born in 1936. He studied illustration at the Central School of Art. His first children's book, Borka, was published in 1963, and it was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal as the best illustrated book of the year. John Burningham collaborated with Ian Fleming on Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, designing the model of the famous car. He lived in London with his wife Helen Oxenbury, also a well-known author and illustrator. John Burningham died on January 4th, 2019.

When I was little, this was my favourite book; when my children were little, it was their favourite book. The story of how Borka, the youngest of six geese born to Mr and Mrs Plumpster without any feathers, is a touching tale of motherly love and triumph over adversity. Mrs Plumpster immediately knits poor, bald Borka a grey woollen jumper but when the family migrates south, Borka gets left behind because she can't fly. The abandoned goose is befriended by a friendly boat skipper who takes her on his boat back to London, where she is given a new home at Kew Gardens. The other geese don't mind about her having no feathers because there are so many other strange birds at Kew and anything goes. Borka is republished to celebrate its 50th anniversary. -- Katie Law * Evening Standard * Cape is right to publish this golden goose of an edition for an as-yet-uninitiated generation * Observer *