This 1930's drawing book illustrates questions and statements about ‘The Child’s Day’, from breakfast and school through to bedtime. With simple drawings printed in black ink at the top of each page and blank space below, the pages invite a child to both colour and draw, which is exactly what the owner of the book, a young boy named Donald Millbank, has done. The variance in artistic accomplishment suggests that Donald not only enjoyed this book when he received it as a Christmas gift, aged six, but that he also returned to doodle on the pages when he was a few years older. The drawing book is part of a collection of objects that belonged to Donald, who tragically died at a young age. Donald was killed during the Second World War in 1940 when a bomb made a direct hit on his house. He was remembered by his family as a bright, kind, funny boy who was artistically talented, and the drawings and comments in this book certainly reflect both his drawing skills and sense of humour.

The collection of objects belonging to Donald includes his school exercise books, a birthday card he made for his father, the nightgown he wore as a baby and several colourful drawings, as well as three memorial cards made for Donald following his death. These provide a snapshot of a young boy's life and work from a turbulent time in British history and they are a rare survival.