"This is an oddity. A welcome one, but still an oddity. Great art shows animals anthropomorphised into hoodies and jacket-wearing punks with all the right reference points and patches. The backdrop to a gig emblazoned His Hedgerow Is Gone is perhaps my favourite."
"Starting with the question “What kind of animal is punk rock?” the verses accompanying the imagery set out the wonderful diversity of the punk scene."
"Across 40 A4 pages, Alex’s beautiful colour images illustrate these words with scenes of woodland gigs, protests and positive affirmation of the community and solidarity that exists in the sometimes fractious family of punk. I’ve never seen a Wind In The Willows picture book but I’m assuming the style here is derived from that original, whose title has been subverted."
"If this was a zine-style publication folks would probably snap it up for novelty value but I’m not certain that the niche interest will translate into sufficient sales when put into a format (and price) that good art deserves. I really hope for Earth Island, and for Alex, that it does. Perhaps aware of this quandary, EI will also be making an eBook and paperback version available."
"I’m not sure if this book is aimed at children or adults and it seems the publishers can’t decide either, saying it is “inspiring reading for any age.” Perhaps it’s the punks with young kids who will form a disorderly queue to grab a copy."
"Imagine if Kenneth Graham’s characters were a bunch of hardcore punk rockers…There’s no need to imagine. Alex CF has done it for you."
Review by Nathan Brown for Louder Than War magazine.
'Punks In The Willows' by Alex CF available now from Earth Island Books.
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