The Gritterman

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He believes it was by touring with The Maccabees for so many years that he got to know the English landscapes of the Gritterman’s beat. The main character in the story is an old man who goes out to grit roads in winter; it’s pretty unremarkable and unromantic. He was initially told by literary agents that he would need a child protagonist if he wanted to engage children’s interest.

Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express is an impactful and wonderful story that shows the importance of faith, belief, and magic, especially during Christmas.The plot follows the Gritterman on Christmas Eve, as he goes out alone to clear the snow one last time, before he must retire from the job he loves. Weeks’ unique composition of story, beautiful and carefully chosen illustration, music and lyrics breathes full life into this tale.

The plot is equally spare, giving us an insight into the Gritterman's life as he deals with a loss and the ageing process. I was going to a friend’s empty workspace and making loud noises, drinking beer, shouting and playing the trumpet badly. Praised for its beautiful writing and plot, this is a great way to escape into the festive spirit of family. There’s also a Gritterman soundtrack album, full of beautifully austere, melancholic songs and featuring narration by British comedy legend Paul Whitehouse.If someone else is doing it with you, it’s a lot easier to draw a veil over my insecurities,” he explained. As Weeks sang lines such as “I’m still your man, I’m still your Gritterman” over tumbling piano chords and aerated guitars, children and parents sat there, rapt. Of course, Paul Whitehouse isn’t the only high-profile figure to lend his support to the Gritterman project.