Aldridge, A., Plomer, W. - The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast

"The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshoppers Feast" is a romantic English poem, written by William Roscoe in 1807. This classical childrens' poem gave inspiration to the book by Alain Aldridge and William Plomer. First published in 1973, templar publishing reprinted this book in 2008.

William Plomer (1903–1973) was the poet who wrote the verses for this book, he lived a rather international life. Born in South-Africa, he received his formal education in England, before returning to South-Africa. There he lived as a farmer and writer / poet, before going to Japan for a few years and the travelling to England, crossing Siberia, Russia, Poland. He lived in Greece, visited France and German, and - shortly before his death - returned to England. The work with Alan Aldridge on the Butterfly Ball had been one of his last works.

 

Alan Aldrige, the illustrator and artist who painted the 28 plates of this feast's guests, was - without any doubt - inspired by victorian art and illustration. After an extensive career as illustrator, art director for Penguin Books or working as a creative consultant for the Beatles, The Rolling Stones or Warhol, he turned his interest to children books. Trying to get into this new subject, he got into contact with the illustrations for Lewis Carroll's works and other victorian works. This was when he tripped over the original poem by William Roscoe. 

 

So here was this book by Roscoe. It did not work for me as a poem, but it worked as an idea for a summers day; these creatures having a ball. I made it that all the creatures were going to celebrate a day of peace, to lay down their stings and fangs (...) (p. 93)

 

 

The Butterfly Ball is a wonderful book - telling about hares and spiders, wasps, frogs and many more, all of them meeting for the Ball. Each of the 28 colorful plates cover one side of the book and are accompanied by a verse on the opposite side. This edition of the Butterfly Ball also includes natural notes on the animals.

 

The illustrations tend to be overwhelming in their colorful design, their fullness of detail and inspiration. They remind me of the friendship book decorations we bought in the local paper shop and collected in the desks drawer. Because of its richness, one tends to overlook the beauty of the poems. But, take my advice, don't do so! Take the time and read the poems, enjoy the wonderful words that work perfectly with the illustrations. 

 

Oh, by the way! Did you manage to find the hidden fish on plate 18?

 

If you like victorian style illustrations, children fantasy poems and a wonderful retrofeeling - do get this book!