Mr Archimedes’ Bath

by Pamela Allen

reviewed by Mia Macrossan

A very old and popular favourite is celebrating 40 years in print! I am sure that many of you will recognize it and remember it fondly. Mr Archimedes’ Bath by Pamela Allen was first published in 1980. It explains in a delightfully quirky way that Eureka! moment when Mr Archimedes realises why his bath overflows and where all that water comes from.

Goat, Kangaroo and Wombat who happily share Mr Archimedes’ bath are delightful creations, each with their own personality, movement and expressions. Mr Archimedes accuses each one in turn of making the bath overflow and he insists on various combinations and permutations of who is in and who is out before realising the truth. Mr Archimedes himself, naked most of the time, is a wonder of middle-aged tubbiness, drawn with affection and tact. He jumps in and out of that bath and never anything to make anyone blush.

Pamela Allen has long been known for her witty and expressive illustrations and her texts are masterpieces of spare language laden with emotion. Here illustration and text work together in harmony to create an enduring childhood favourite. Perfect for reading before or after bath time and obviously also excellent as a way of introducing the idea of volume to an inquiring mind

Harper Collins Children’s Books 2020 Picture Book Paperback $14.99 Hardback $24.99 Age 2+ ISBN 9781460758960