Motor Miles

…..With his wavering, fragmented line and beautiful washes of colour, Burningham expresses character and comedy, and depicts landscapes through the seasons that are magical and seductive.
Everything about this picture book suggests freedom, in the style and the story. The tale is simple but encompasses kindness to animals, neighbourliness, the advantages of being practical and handy, the rewards of diligently learning a skill, a love of the outdoors, the pleasure of companionship, following your own inclinations and knowing left from right. There is a fun punchline too. The book might look sketchy, but it is just right.

October 2016 Book of the Month
There’s a perfect simplicity to this book, the work of a picture book genius. Miles is a difficult dog, won’t come when called, doesn’t like walks or other dogs, barks too much. The only thing he does like, in fact, is going out in the car. Fortunately, the family’s neighbour realises that what Miles needs is a car of his own, and offers to make him one. John Burningham’s illustrations, simultaneously comic and serious, match his deadpan text beautifully; Miles and his young owner Norman are wonderfully realised characters; the colours glow: quite simply wonderful.

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.

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