The Lipstick

A little boy finds his mum’s posh pink lipstick and decides it’s just the thing to brighten up the house, drawing a hedgehog and a corn on the cob on the walls, and adding a bit of colour to the cat. Plus, there’s his older sister’s room, the windows, the apples, the fridge – the lipstick makes the whole house looks absolutely gorgeous. Doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, Mum and Dad don’t really agree, and soon it’s time for everyone to scrub all the lipstick doodles away – apart from the little boy’s lips, where it looks lovely.

Most parents of little ones will identify with the “drawing on the walls” stage, and, for the kids themselves, this bright and funny book captures that feeling of excitement that comes when you’re doing something absolutely full of fun – that only later becomes a "whoops" moment.

Laura Dockrill’s books are always anarchic in the best way, and her text in The Lipstick zings with an authentically modern voice that’s also a delight to read aloud. A great book to share just for the fun of it, but perhaps also a reminder that lipstick (and crayons, pens and pencils) doesn’t belong on the walls, after all.