NELSON, U.K. - s4story -- When the sun starts to go down and the evening settles in, an elegant and mysterious man appears strolling through the town village with an air of romance and gentlemanly style. With dreamy and almost ethereal illustrations, English poet Chris Husband brings young readers a fanciful imaginative tale with his stunning new rhyming picture book, My Magical Bearded Friend.

In his fantastical story, Husband's rhymes eloquently describe a dapper gentleman, distinguished and regal, with a magnificent beard of lustrous spun silver strands, who appears after sundown and vanishes before sunrise. Artist Patricia Moffett's exquisite and elaborate illustrations bring to mind a style of dreamy funk art or steampunk, reminiscent of another era. The story is a feast for the senses with descriptions of a top hat with glorious satin, booths of soft leather, smells of cologne, and a quiet melodious voice, enabling children to participate in a wonderfully sensory reading experience.

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Each elaborate illustration gives young readers and listeners much to pore over, including hidden animals sleeping in bushes, fine details of the clothing, and buildings and places that are evocative of notable locations in the greater Manchester area. The use of gemlike colors, structures with pipes and metal girders, gables with elaborate scrollwork, turrets, and cupolas calls forth a design aesthetic inspired by the 19th century industrial era. With the story's character's casual grace and ephemeral presence, readers are left wondering if it was all a figment of their imagination.

Families and educators of young children will welcome the beautiful text and descriptive vocabulary along with the art that can be shared again and again and also invite discussion about the story. Husband's My Magical Bearded Friend is his third published book of poetry, his debut children's title.

If you would like more information about author Chris Husband and My Magical Bearded Friend, please contact chrishusband@chrishusband.com or visit http://www.chrishusband.com

To see some reviews of My Magical Bearded Friend please go to the website www.chrishusband.com and choose "My Magical Bearded Friend Reviews"