'Sometimes it feels like I might be the only person awake in the whole country. People might find that a lonely thought. Not me...'
As the rest of the world sleeps, the Gritterman goes out to work. Through the wind and the snow and the freezing cold, in the blue-black hours when time slips away, he grits the paths and the pavements and the roads. For him, there is romance in the winter and comfort in his purpose. But what would a life without gritting mean?
A song for the unsung hero, this is a bittersweet story about stoicism, dignity and a man leaving behind the work that he loves. It is accompanied by the author's own illustrations.
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Imprint: Penguin
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Published: 07/09/2017
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ISBN: 9781846149900
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Length: 80 Pages
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RRP: £9.99
Reviews
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Extraordinary and original
Raymond Briggs
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Beautifully illustrated ... In its depictions of snowfall and isolation, [it] has a sombre, austere beauty
James Lovegrove, 'Books of the Year 2017', Financial Times
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Reminiscent of Raymond Briggs. Weeks's delicate, assured drawings evoke chill-reddened skin, old, trusted machinery, deep shadows, blazing cold and solitude in this superbly atmospheric story
Imogen Russell Williams, Guardian 'Best New Picture Books'
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The Gritterman is unutterably beautiful
Jo Whiley
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In its wistful, feathery melancholia, the book recalls Raymond Briggs at his darkest, but manages to be uplifting all the same
Financial Times
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A touching Raymond Briggs-like story
Donna Ferguson, Guardian
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A tender fireside story about an ageing labourer ... A witty, affectionate book ... You feel the story, complete with its soundtrack, would make an enchanting Christmas special on TV, to be repeated every year, in the vein of The Snowman
Evening Standard
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Wry, unexpected, and funny ... A really lovely book
David Gentleman
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[A] poignant picture book, with skilled crayon and wash illustrations ... The story of a working-class hero
Sunday Times
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A beautifully-crafted tale ... An ode to the unsung hero
Hackney Gazette
