I wondered what it would be like to illustrate an existing work by somebody else, and decided that Edward Lear's timeless tale of the Owl and the Pussy-Cat would be an ideal choice. Thomas reckons that the Owl is a self-portrait (I hadn't thought about it but there is a certain resemblance!).

The credit card representing "plenty of money" is meant to make adult readers smile, of course, but it's also a sign of the way things change (the ring is still paid for with a shilling coin, though!).

The "runcible spoon" is left unexplained, as I believe Lear intended - various sources define it as a ladle, a slotted spoon or even a spork, but Lear used the word "runcible" elsewhere to describe a cat, a hat and a wall!

There is a hidden heart in the last picture, in a similar way to Bob.

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