One of a kind

Publishing in the Walker Studio imprint, this witty, magnificently-illustrated book plays with the idea of “sorting”.
The animal kingdom, modes of transport, musical instruments, art and architectural movements, cloud classification … anything and everything can be sorted into groups! Framed by a charming narrative about a father and son, this is a book about categories; on a journey into town, a boy called Arvo explores the many ways in which we classify the world around us, to charming – and often amusing – effect. One of a Kind marks Neil Packer’s debut as an author-illustrator, following his extraordinary artwork for Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads. With a witty text and breathtaking pictures, this story deserves its title: a true original by a remarkable talent.

1st June 2021

I am surprised, delighted, and honoured to announce that One of a Kind has won the non fiction category of the Bologna Ragazzi Award, at the Bologna book fair. A huge thank you to the jury for choosing our book and of course a huge thank you and congratulations to everyone at Walker Books who worked on it with me…

Men should go with these simple yet effective vardenafil cost methods of maintaining male sexual hormones. overnight generic viagra Once you have your quotes the next thing that you need to consider is the class timings. Usually, psychological issues (i.e. stress, anxiety and depression) are considered as the best generic sildenafil drug to treat erectile viagra generic discount dysfunction* FDA approved* Available in many versions* Executes well to supply best results* Quickly works to give firm erection* Can be ordered online* Less price for high quality medicationExecution of Kamagra 100 Tablets This oral medication belongs to the PDE 5 drug class. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and best price on levitra Tobago, organized the “Americas-Africa Business Forum: New Commercial Partnership for Economic Growth,” on April 18, in Washington, DC.

What the jury said:

“This book takes the child collector’s joy in sorting and classifying and brings it to life in this novel contribution to the non-fiction scene that can afford its readers years of pleasurable reading. This inventive take on taxonomies and sorting conventions can be read at many levels; from learning about the way things are classified, to the diverging and converging ways in which the decisions made to sort them are made. For most of the book, the objects in the illustration take center stage, then the text in the rich and beautifully laid out appendix encourages further exploration. Neil Packer’s illustrations that employ modified photographs and precise scientific drawings invite readers to pay attention to the fine nuances that give each object its uniqueness and character. The extraordinary production of this large format book gives the reader a warm aged feel, and evokes the aesthetics of all sorts of curated collections, from museums to shoeboxes under children’s beds.

One of a Kind

Review from the School Library Journal

PACKER, Neil. One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying. illus. by Neil Packer. 48p. Candlewick Studio. Oct. 2020. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9781536211214.

Gr 2-5–This book uses a simple narrative about a pale-skinned boy named Arvo to teach young readers about counting and sorting. Each double-page spread presents a classification analysis related to Arvo and his life. The first page details Arvo’s family tree, which can be traced back to his great-great-grandparents. Each part of the family tree is labeled with the family member’s connection to Arvo and the percentage of DNA that they share. The next page shows Arvo’s cat Malcolm and Malcolm’s family tree. Other pages discuss and sort objects such as vehicles, buildings, tools, and cheese. Each classification exercise offers a treasure trove of information. The mixed-media artwork uses cut-out images, conveying an aesthetic that appears both classical and modern. Some of the members of Arvo’s extended family are depicted with brown skin. Arvo’s story is at the center of all of the classifications, but the classifications are the real highlight. VERDICT Recommended for any library. Readers will understand the basics of genealogy through a straightforward narrative.–Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elem., FL

Wall Street Journal

20th November 2020

Neil Packer takes children on a fascinating journey through various categories of things with an oversize picture book, “One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying” (Candlewick Studio, 48 pages, $22.99). We meet a boy named Arvo and his cat, and in Mr. Packer’s intense, detailed mixed-media artwork we see both of their family trees. As Arvo goes through his day, from a violin lesson to the farmer’s market to the library, the illustrations show the things he encounters expanded out into vast groupings and subgroupings: instruments (percussion, wind, strings), vehicles (marine, commercial, military), buildings (mostly wood, mostly brick, mostly glass), and even time itself (Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene and onward). It’s a mesmerizing collection of collections for readers ages 6-10.

—Mrs. Gurdon has been the Journal’s children’s books columnist since 2005. She is the author of “The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction.”

From Social Media

Lauren Child:

A large and colourful book which beautifully communicates fascinating information, from types of cloud formations, to varieties of apples, names of tools, and constructions of family trees. All designed and illustrated in a playful and engaging way. Part art book part encyclopaedia – a book to lose yourself in.

From The AOI by Karl Anderson Foster

24th February 2021

We live in a world where there is never enough time, where we are told we should desire quick results. ‘One Of A Kind’, a picture book by Neil Packer is an excellent publication that allows you to stop, be still and take the time to think. I spent five minutes looking at the delicately described images on the end papers alone. Inside our protagonist is a youngster called Arvo, whose journey takes us from Linnaean nomenclature to the Dewey decimal system by way of aspects of time and space. This large picture book from Walker Studios is a visual encyclopaedia of classifications that will delight and satisfy in equal measure.

When I was a boy my siblings and I would pour over illustrated science books and watch as men orbited and then landed on the moon. We were transported to the Cretaceous Period just as the meteor that wiped out the Dinosaurs was about to land. This book reminds me of those times, and I didn’t realise how much I needed to see artworks that require plenty of time to enjoy and process. The simple narrative follows the traditional structure of a main character interacting with a string of scenarios to weave a tale and engage the reader. Beginning with a beloved ginger cat, Malcolm, and ending with a deeper realisation.

I am new to Packer’s work, but I found the following spreads of particular note:

The Animal Kingdom spread (above) has a complexity that reveals something novel each time I look at it. The pages illustrating the Buildings opens up layers of meaning behind the construction techniques that make up our architectural forms. I think this will make readers more observant of the world around them. Why? How? and What? need to be more fashionable questions. The Vehicles take me back to the Russian Constructivist imagery combined with Soviet Manuals for mechanical engineers. This is what is so magical about the artwork – it’s the contextual references and the precision that impresses me.

The Apple market stand is striking in its forensic exploration of what it is to be a piece of fruit. The street scene behind of monochrome buildings is reminiscent of the artwork of Ronald Searle for St. Trinians. Imagine finding out just how many different types of cultivated apple that there are with evocative names such as Pitmaston Pineapple, Newton Wonder and Knobby Russet! The Cheese board spread (below) is a collection of precious tasty treats for those who have only known supermarket bulk cheddars! There is a richness in these images that can only come from someone who is passionate about their subject matter. Packer’s passion is everywhere in his picture book.

Are you truly one of a kind? It seems that we all are but we still need to fit into a wider world and navigate skillfully to understand our place within it. Ultimately, as Arvo discovers, your uniqueness is most important to those who love you, and that is no bad thing. As I finished reading the book and reflected on the contents my mind was filled with these words; How beauteous are the works of humankind! Oh, brave new world, that has such things in ‘t! Oh, to be Arvo’s age once more – what splendid fun we’d have.

https://theaoi.com/2021/02/24/one-of-a-kind-review/

18th March 2022

Publishing In Italy today, the Italian edition of One of a Kind by Camelozampa

Neil Packer, nato nel 1961, lavora come illustratore a Londra dal 1984, con una carriera trentennale nel design publishing e nella grafica pubblicitaria per clienti in Europa, Nord e Sud America e Asia. I suoi lavori sono stati esposti, tra l’altro, al British Museum, alla British Library, alla Royal Academy e al Victoria & Albert Museum. Nel 2021 ha vinto il Bologna Ragazzi Award Non Fiction proprio con Unico nel suo genere, il suo primo lavoro come autore completo. Ma nel mondo dell’illustrazione per ragazzi britannico è già una star, dopo aver illustrato The Odyssey e The Iliad di Gillian Cross e molto altro, tra cui una raffinatissima edizione della Divina Commedia. Al momento sta lavorando come guest illustrator, in collaborazione con Jim Kay, all’edizione illustrata di Harry Potter e l’Ordine della Fenice.