Despite being a short (-ish) book I read this in four sittings, one for each of the creatures (mouse, bird, snake, wolf) the children create when the gods aren’t paying attention. It deserves to be savoured. The gods, lolling monochrome in the clouds are drawn by McKean as overweight, self indulgent Olympians, sketchy presences but corporeal nonetheless: armpits and wrinkly fingers. The children are agile, engaged, sketched in colour. The design from photographed cut out pages through to the double-spread of a ravening wolf is arresting, funny, scary...
Part creation myth, part psycho-drama (we might ask if all myths haven’t got a psychodramatic element) we watch as wide-eyed young Ben thinks up and creates a mouse and grinning, inventive Sue follows this with a bird and older boy Harry (beautifully drawn, all Adam’s Apple and elbows) calls a snake into being. The trajectory Almond gives leaves us in no doubt that the next stage will not go well. The languid, disconnected adults - the gods, lolling in bed - mutter warnings but it is up to the children to solve the issue of the Wolf. Capital W: this is a savage idea in the hearts of humans and their gods.