The Lying Carpet is a truly beautiful picture book, offering up philosophical questions in a way that makes them not just accessible to pre-teens, but interesting for adults as well. The touching narrative and unusual characters – which include a talking carpet and a number of other quirky surprises – were more than enough to keep hold of my attention. The story concerns a young girl who wakes up as a statue and finds herself being comforted by the only other person in the room – a talking rug in the shape of a tiger. Together they speak about the nature of reality and how it is possible to measure the reality of your own life, and although these themes might be complicated for their intended audience, they are handled with remarkable sensitivity.
With muted colors and soft lines, Lucas's art tells the story well. Looking closer into the pictures often uncovers details that went unnoticed on the first read through, allowing subsequent reads to offer something new. The Lying Carpet can be read for its philosophical content, as a contemporary fable, or simply as a whimsical and charming story full of creative twists and light humour. This ensures that it offers something for every reader, so families can enjoy following the story together, with the content inspiring thought and discussion across the generations. – Cleo Chalk
See sample pages from this book at Wink.
