I am going to buy a physical copy of this book immediately. As a parent who had a baby just before lockdown, its so nice to have someone understand and illustrate our frustrations! What a weird time to become a parent, What a strange and isolating time. What a weird time for our babies. A strangely comforting book, but also an important book to be able to share with our children in the future.

My partner and I had our first child slap bang in the middle of the pandemic. I've found it impossible to separate the weirdness of having a baby and all the changes that brings from the changes brought about by the restrictions of lockdown. I had a newborn, I was in my own personal lockdown. I found myself surprised at how much this book reflected by experience.

Bramley's illustration is perfect for capturing small, domestic moments and they're all beautifully observed. The illustration and the writing are spare and restrained in a way that lends authenticity and poetic weight.

The linework is scratchy and dynamic and every illustration has energy and character. The style is like a less grotesque David Shrigley.

There's a focus on the routine and mundane, passing observations. It's a diary that observes daily routines changed more by having a baby than lockdown. There's a building dread with the intrusions of the pandemic, the dread of checking the news, but the tone is hopeful, optimistic.

Sometimes it's a little too sparse, jumps in theme and time lend to the diary feeling but the vignette structure can make it feel disjointed in places.

It's a gentle exploration of the unexceptional moments that make up the bulk of our lives and a deeply personal record of an unprecedented time.