Gus’s Garage
Gus is a happy do-it-yourselfer. No job is too big or too difficult for him. Luckily, he has plenty of useful stuff lying around and he always comes up with creative solutions: for Rico the Rhino’s saddle, which is too small (he installs an armchair on his motorbike), for Gina the Giraffe’s problem with the cold (he hangs a heater around her neck) and for Walter the Walrus’s dry skin (he puts a bath on the roof of his car). At the end of the day, the only problem Gus still has to solve is his own…
An amusing book to reread, since even the smallest details are assigned a narrative purposeThe New York Times
Supersaturated hues and maximum automotive whimsy make this one to pore over.Kirkus Review
‘Gus’s Garage’ is a remarkable book for its simplicity, sober rhyming text and illustrations that tell all. In his well-known style, Leo Timmers has thoroughly indulged himself designing the most ingenious vehicles, replete with pedals and handles. The recurring theme of helping solve friends’ problems with original inventions creates tension and leaves you eagerly anticipating the next new fanciful creation. There is so much to discover in the colourful and imaginative illustrations. The humorous details enrich the book and help give it its unique character.
A joy to look at and read togetherDe Volkskrant
'The first book Gecko Press published by Leo Timmers was 'Who's Driving?' I loved the energy, the fun, and the colour and detail of the illustrations. 'Who's Driving?' is a book I love to read aloud and it is one of the rare books that we can recommend to any child and any adult. Even though it appears simple, there is a small, perfectly understated nod to the fable of the tortoise and the hare.
Gecko Press has since published 'I Am the King', Bang, The Magical Life of Mister Renny and Franky, and we are currently working on 'Gus's Garage', which is a rich and wonderful book.
Leo's illustrations are multi-layered and there are meetings between characters and small jokes on every page. Leo says adults often skim over the surface of his picture books: 'Bang', for example, is about spontaneous meetings that alter the lives of the characters when they crash into each other. The chickens are on their way to the abattoir, and need rescuing...
Leo's work is unlike any other I know of and every book is meticulously planned and executed. We at Gecko Press consider ourselves very lucky to have him on our list.'
