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1995 · not illustrated yet

The Rope Swing Over The Brook

Illustration in the queue. New spreads are drawn every week — join the list and you’ll see this one the day it’s inked.

“The rope was fine. The branch was fine. The brook was where the trouble was kept.”

The rope is strong, the branch is thick, and the swing out over the brook is a thing of beauty. For one perfect moment, you are flying. Then you look down. And you realise the water is much, much shallower than you thought.

Is it supposed to be... that colour?

From the back cover

Summer days by the brook are what childhood is for. Especially when you find the perfect rope swing. It is a masterpiece of engineering, a perfect arc of flight, a moment of pure joy.

The only problem is the landing. The water beneath the swing is not quite as deep as it looks. And the muddy bottom is a lot closer than anyone realised.

The grown-ups will wash the clothes. But they will never get the story out.