‘Norton’s Hut’ is a ghost story enhanced by the lyrical text that matches the story’s spooky undercurrent. The author, John Marsden, aptly portrays the teenage hikers who observe the changing weather in an alpine region—'the clouds churned like froth on water: we knew that in the valley and across the plains a great boiling of weather was taking place; the clouds a warning of air about to pour across the peaks, engulfing the mountain and us.’ As night nears and the air is sharp and cold, the teenagers spy a hut and enter. They find a man sitting by the fire who does not speak. A blizzard descends and the teenagers remain in the hut for three days.
Peter Gouldthorpe’s detailed Illustrations capture moments in time including the shivery, snow-covered landscapes, mountain peaks and the teenagers’ playful antics in the snow. A variety of illustration framing devices suit this story. Multiple frames reveal the teenager’s activities in the hut as they await the storm subsiding. They play cards, read books, create drawings, build matchstick designs and make finger shadows on the walls. The weather clears and the teenagers later share their experience huddled in the hut with the young man. They discover a mysterious phenomenon. Norton’s hut burnt down in 1956 along with young Norton.
On his website, Peter Gouldthorpe reveals, ‘I wrestle with the challenge of finding an authentic visual voice that is true to my vision, whilst not being a slave to reality.’ Marsden’s story works well with Gouldthorpe’s highly realistic, intricately detailed oils.
At the back of the book, the full text is repeated, perhaps to encourage readers to create their own images and to experience the rich figurative language.
Picture Books for Older Readers
