FABULOUS FIVE: Dave Shelton presents Five Fabulous Funny Picture Books

Today I am really chuffed to present Dave Shelton's Fabulous Five. If you read my review of his début novel, A Boy and a Bear in a Boat (see here), you will know how much I have enjoyed it. But it is the DFC that first introduced us to Dave Shelton's work, with his comic Good Dog, Bad Dog, which was later made into a volume of The DFC Library. A second volume of the comic is due to be published and will be appearing in the Phoenix Comic in March (see here).

Born and raised in Leicester, Dave now lives in Cambridge with Pam, Mila and a cat whose name is too stupid to reveal in public. He likes comics, cricket, crosswords and talking to cartoonists about pens. His comic strip Good Dog, Bad Dog appeared in The DFC Comic and the Guardian, and is collected in book form by David Fickling Books.
You can visit Dave's website here and his blog here.

Five  Fabulous Funny Picture Books
by Dave Shelton

There Are Cats In This Book
Viv Schwarz

This book is outrageous. There's virtually nothing in it. The illustrations are minimalist and the words are simple and few. And it's quite, quite wonderful. Viv Schwarz's genius, here, is her brilliant understanding of how a picture book works - not only in terms of the interaction between text and image but also in the interaction between the child reading it (or having it read to them) and the book, and the characters in the book. It's complex stuff for an author/illustrator to pull off but it's invisible to the eye for the reader. From their point of view it's just funny and fun. Not that they get away scot free: this is a book requiring audience participation, not only through the lifting of flaps and so on but also through doing as your told by cats. And the charm of this joyful book is such that even someone as immune to the appeal of the wretched creatures as myself submits willingly. An utter joy.

No!
Marta Altes

This is the witty, simple, clever and beautifully executed story of a dog called No (or so he thinks, as that's what everyone seems to call him). This probably appeals to me as it's essentially a story about a character wallowing in blissful ignorance (a condition that I inhabit myself on a regular basis). Rather hard to believe that this is a debut picture book from Ms Altes as it's just so breezily assured. Pretty much note perfect at the first attempt. Sickening really.

The Hair Scare
Jeff Fisher

Jeff Fisher is better known for his illustrations and designs for adult fiction (most famously, perhaps, the cover of Captain Corelli's Mandolin) but this venture into the world of the picture book is a treat and a longstanding favourite in our household, not least because it provided us with the oft recurring catchphrase of threatening "trouble throughout the land!". Radbert is a gifted young haircutter but The King is blind to his talents and, in a rage, bans all hairdressing. This leads to "nasty hair accidents, hair sadness and hair riots" (as you might very well expect). But Radbert's scissory skills eventually ensure a happy ending (for almost everyone). The endpapers alone are worth your money.

I Want My Hat Back
Jon Klassen

This book is a joke. Luckily, it's a very good joke. A very good, clever, slightly dark joke, brilliantly told, with perfect comic timing. The animal characters all play their parts to perfection, trusting their material and underacting appropriately. The illustrations are clean and attractive and warm and funny. It's an exquisite deadpan masterpiece, with just the right hint of darkness. And Klassen paints a very fine bear.

Little Boy With a Big Horn
Jack Bechdolt, illustrated by Aurelius Battaglia

Setting aside any Carry On-style innuendo that you might wish to apply to the title (I, of course, am above such things), this is a very funny book in its own right. There's a newer version illustrated by someone else which may or may not be, in its own way, perfectly adequate. I feel no need to find out as this version, originally published in 1950, suits me perfectly. I'm a sucker for a lot of illustration from this era, from the backgrounds in Warner Bros Looney Tune cartoons to other Golden Book illustrators such as Mary Blair and J P Miller, but there's not much that beats Battaglia's charming, funny and characterful work here. It's wonderful stuff, clean, bright and lively and perfectly serving the amusing story of Ollie, the titular hero, who is banished from the town to practise playing his bass horn out at sea. It's wonderful stuff all round and gains bonus points from me for featuring a seal on the cover and thus allowing me to demonstrate when reading it my widely revered seal impression (sadly difficult to emulate in print - you'll just have to trust me).

****

Thank you very much to Dave for taking the time to share with us his five favourite funny picture books. It is another great selection, I am sure you will all agree.

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat

Dave Shelton
(David Fickling Books)

A boy and a bear go to sea, in a small boat, looking to get to the other side. But as they set on their voyage, the other side suddenly seems much further than the boy first expected  and the sea is not quite as tranquil as the boy had first hoped. This is due, according to the bear, to "unforeseeable anomalies" which changes the course of their trip towards a daring adventure for the two unlikely heroes.

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat is an absolute gem of a book. It is a beautifully tender and enchanting story of a developing friendship between two most unlikely characters, in the most improbable of settings.
One of the aspects of the story I loved the most is that it is a boy, coming from nowhere, going on a boat with a bear, to get to the other side of  the water, and nothing more is said about it, as it the most perfectly natural thing in the world. Which I guess, in a child's imagination, it is. Team this up with an endless blue sea, a rather limited game of "I Spy", a glow-in-the-dark sandwich, a sea monster and a oh-so-very-British tea break complete with bone china and you have yourself an adventure. A rather unusual, whimsical adventure, I'll grant you that, but nonetheless a heartwarming and funny one. It has all the ingredients of an old-fashioned adventure story, and feels very much like one when you are reading it. There are no gadgets here, no electronic gizmos. It has that certain innocence that is so often lacking in children's literature, particularly for boys, today.
The story broaches many themes including friendship, hope and courage to name a few, but touches on them with lightness and wonderful humour, including some particularly funny moments and splendid repartee.

The book, as an object, is absolutely stunning. The cover itself is marvellous, complete with tea stain and worn edges and one must applaud the publisher for taking a possible risk by choosing style and beauty over a more "commercial" cover. The inside illustrations work in perfect unison with the tone of the text. The bear is particularly glorious; there something so kind and safe about his demeanour. I like Shelton's style, also greatly admired by my son in Good Dog, Bad Dog for the DFC.

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat is wonderful début novel by Dave Shelton and one that you will want to share will little and big people alike. I can do nothing less but highly recommend it, for it is simply wonderful.

All illustrations © Dave Shelton

Thank you to the wonderful people at David Fickling Books for sending me a review copy of "A Boy and a Bear in a Boat".



Come back tomorrow to read all about Dave Shelton's Five Fabulous Funny Picture Books.

GUEST POST: S.C. Ransom

As the Small Blue Thing trilogy comes to an end with the publication of Scattering Like Light (see my reviews of Small Blue Thing, Perfectly Reflected and Scattering Like Light), S.C. Ransom reflects on how the story came to life, and eventually became a published trilogy

 

***

I always feel slightly embarrassed when I’m talking to other new and aspiring authors. Everyone has tales of writing for years, entering competitions and honing their craft before, if they’re lucky, getting that first deal, but I did none of that. I wrote a story for my daughter’s birthday, the first time I had written fiction since school, and it’s now in my local bookshop and hundreds of other bookshops around the world. I still don’t believe that it has happened.


I’ve always been a huge fan of reading, and when I started commuting into London I found it gave me time to read, time which otherwise was missing from my day as a fulltime headhunter and mother of two. When my daughter started reading teen and YA literature I added them to my pile of ‘to be read’ books as I was keen to see what she was interested in. The answer was mostly romantic fantasy with more than a little smattering of vampires. I loved the fact that she was reading, but I was disappointed with the fact that all the books were set in the States, a place where she had never been. I began to wonder if I could write her a story which was set in the world she knew, so I picked up an old notebook and started to jot down some thoughts. At that point I had never spoken with a ‘proper’ author, so I didn’t know how hard it usually is. With blind faith that I could write something my daughter would enjoy, I carried on. I solved the logistical problem of how I was going to write it in the time available by using my BlackBerry – every day on the train I wrote a bit more and then emailed it to myself. At the weekends I stitched it all together on my laptop.

I wrote a story about teenage love and loss, with a supernatural element (as a mother, it helps if the love interest is utterly unobtainable!), and set it around London, Twickenham and Richmond: places which my daughter knows well. I wrote about her school, her friends and her home, and I made the main character, Alex, the sort of girl my daughter may become in a few years. Callum is unbearably gorgeous and love is swift (I knew my daughter would be impatient for that), but hideous problems lurk just ahead. By the time I had finished writing I knew that, if she wanted more, I could continue the story. I got two copies printed and bound and gave them to her for her birthday, and within days they were doing the rounds of her class at school.

I was finally persuaded to seek a professional opinion and a colleague put me in touch with Kate Wilson, who had just left Headline. All I was really after was some small encouragement and – ideally – an introduction to an agent or two who might be interested. I got a lot more. Kate so loved the book that she bought forward her plans to set up her own company, and exactly a year after she and I first met, Small Blue Thing was published in January 2011 as Nosy Crow’s first book.

Small Blue Thing was followed by Perfectly Reflected in June and just last week the final part, Scattering Like Light, was published. The trilogy is now complete, and it’s been brilliant getting the feedback from the readers; either directly from my daughter’s friends and kids on school visits, notes on the website or actual fan mail. Some are obviously not big readers, but I’ve helped to encourage them to pick up a book, and that’s fantastic!

***

Scattering Like Light

S.C. Ransom
(Nosy Crow)

Please be aware that Scattering Like Light is the final tome of a trilogy and therefore there might be  spoilers in this review!

Scattering Like Light picks up where Perfectly Reflected left off. Alex and her family are on their way to Spain for a family holiday. But on Alex's mind is the fact the she now knows there is a way that Callum and her can be together. Catherine has all the answers but she is unwilling to share, and has disappeared anyway. And of course there is the new power that Alex's amulet holds, and which defeated Lucas. Could this be the key? As if things were not complicated enough, childhood friend Max appears on the scene and  has gone from ugly duckling to rather beautiful swan, and seems very interested in Alex. And there's also that lady vicar who keeps pestering her. Alex can't give up on Callum and the Dirges, but how much is she willing to risk to be with the one she loves?

Scattering Like Light  is the final volume of the Small Blue Thing trilogy and therefore presents the reader with the denouement of Alex and Callum's story. The story of Callum, the amulet and the Dirges was still, at the end of Perfectly Reflected, shrouded in mystery and therefore this book also needed to offer a satisfying and comprehensive explanation and resolution to the plot. I have to  say SC Ransom does not disappoint and tie-ins beautifully all the little storylines, the clues, the half-told stories and even the origin of the amulet and its curse which I thought was particularly well-done.
In this volume, London is very much at the heart of the story and the Thames takes centre stage, but we also get a change of scenery as Alex' family take a holiday to Spain. This offers a nice interlude to the storyline and gives the opportunity to introduce a new potential, and rather persistent, new love interest for Alex, while Callum cannot be there to witness it. But the family are soon back in England and Alex needs to face up to the reality of her situation. It would be unfair to say more in case I spoil the plot for readers! However it is safe to point out that the story is pacy and there is a clear crescendo in the action and the revelations to the ultimate scenes. There are also a few twists and surprises to keep the reader of its toes, which helped make it an exciting read. I felt the romance between Alex and Callum was played down a bit, particularly as Alex struggles with doubt but again this works well, allowing Alex to shine more as an individual, and her kind but determined nature comes through.

I think Scattering Like Light offers a perfectly satisfying conclusion to what has been a hugely enjoyable trilogy. The narrative has been consistently good as has the storyline, with a cliffhanger at the end of the first and second volumes, as well as plot recaps dotted in the second and third volumes. The characterisation has also been very good and consistent, with clearly drawn "goodies" and "baddies", although I have always had a niggling doubt about Callum, I am not sure why!
But to me, the strength of this trilogy lies in its intended audience and the effect that has on the three books overall. Supernatural romance can be a difficult genre to manage for both parents and librarians, as those books can be explicit both in language in action. The Small Blue Thing series however provides an attractive yet safe introduction to the paranormal romance genre for younger readers. It is not as dark as many of the offerings in this genre but still has enough menace within the storyline to make it exciting, as does the many ups and downs of the two protagonists' relationship. Also, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the setting here, because it does contribute hugely to the success of the trilogy; one can feel the author's love for the city of London. It will allow young British readers to relate to the story more, and make it more relevant, which cannot be underestimated when trying to grip the reader.

This is truly a great series that can safely be recommended to lower secondary school readers but which will appeal to a wide readership. And considering this was "only" supposed to be a birthday present for her daughter, what a tour de force from author SC Ransom!



Thank you to the good people at Nosy Crow who sent me a review copy of "Scattering Like Light".

Grace

Morris Gleitzman
(Puffin)

Grace is an ordinary little girl, but she does not live an ordinary life. Born within a fundamentalist Christian community, she is sheltered from the rest of Australian society, unable to interact with "sinners", and forced to follow harsh, chauvinistic rules. But Grace still has fun in her life, mainly thanks to her much-loved father who allows her freedom to thrive and think, despite it being frowned upon by the Church elders. But when he goes too far and is expelled from the community, Grace blames herself. As her world gradually closes on her, suffocating her, she is determined to find her father, even if this means crossing the line into the world of sinners.

Grace has got to be one of the most endearing characters I have read about in a long time. Her innocence, teamed with an amazing strength of character drive this short story and make it not only an entertaining but also a captivating read. Grace's community is what I guess could be described as Catholic extremists. They have a strict hierarchy, with women at the very bottom and are not allowed to mix with people outside of their community. They have their own school, provide work for the men by owning a couple of factories and live very much secularly. Grace's family is different though with a father who has a questioning and open mind, which is, eventually, his demise.

Grace's innocence allows for the subject of sects to be seen in a touching, often funny, and always honest way. Gleitzman has a real talent for seeing things and telling a story through the eyes of a child. This talent has really bowled me over when I read Once. and Grace only proves how talented a writer he is. He can mimic children's speech beautifully and manages to communicate their view of the world perfectly.

Grace isn't an anti-Christian story; in fact both Grace and her father, despite questioning their Church, are profoundly devoted to God. But what Grace denounces is sectarianism, intolerance, the denial of women's rights, the dangers of rigidity of beliefs. It is, at times, simply heartbreaking, knowing that children actually do live within similar communities. Grace's love for her father and family is also incredibly touching. But it is also hilarious at times.

Grace is a wonderful book which manages to deal with very serious issues with an often light-hearted tone. It is another great book from Morris Gleitzman whom I urge you to discover if you have not done so yet.

Claude at the Circus

Alex T. Smith
(Hodder Children's Books)

Claude and his best friend Sir Bobblysock are back for a third adventure, hurrah, and of course Claude once again manages to put himself into precarious situations. A perfectly innocent stroll in the park is disturbed with a encounter with some joggers, a frowned-upon nap in the bushes, an unfortunate episode on the golf course, a heroic rescue and finally a rather improvised and eventful circus performance. But despite all the fun,Claude must return home before the Shinyshoes come back from their day out. And thankfully (or not) there is a rather speedy mode of transport available nearby.

Claude at the Circus is Alex T Smith's third book in the series after Claude in the City (see my review here) and Claude on Holiday (see my review here). This fast-growing series for newly independent readers has gradually attracted a whole army of admirers and it is easy to see why. The combination of Alex's talent for writing as well as drawing, his quirky artwork,his retro sense of style and his witty sense of humour create a lovable hero and hugely entertaining and pacy stories that work well both as short stories for independent reading or as a fun read-loud.

Young readers will enjoy the two friends' antics and Claude's utter obliviousness at his constant faux-pas and gradual chaos building, while the more grown-up readers will be delighted by some of the quirky details in the illustrations. This time, shock horror, there is even a glimpse of a cheeky tattooed bum! Personally, I love the clothes that Alex draws and I was so pleased to see one of my all-time favourites, i.e. gingham pedal pushers à la Brigitte Bardot, sported by Mrs Shinyshoes.

 

Young audiences will also have fun looking at the two-coloured illustrations and wacky characters that reside in Claude's world. One my favourites in this story has to be the park keeper who looks like he has walked straight out of a Jacques Tati movie.
The formulae of the story remains similar from the other two books, which will be welcomed by newly independent readers who often thrive with familiarity and love to read series for this reason.

The blend of the well pitched text, the witty tone of the stories and the zany illustrations have enabled Claude to become a real hit, and it is so very well deserved. There is a Claude 4 on the way too, yippee!

All illustrations Ó Alex T. Smith

Many thanks to Hodder Children's Books for sending me a review copy of "Claude at the Circus".

Peely Wally

Kali Stileman
(Red Fox)

Peely Wally is a small bird who lives at the top of a very high tree. One day she lays an egg and it is so perfect in every way, that jumps up and down with excitement and glee. But, disaster, the egg rolls off the branch and goes off on its own adventure. Will Peely Wally be able  to catch up with it and take it safely home?


This wonderfully bright picture book ticks all the boxes to be a huge success with its intended audience. It is very colourful, full of  mischievous and exotic animals and has a great repetitive text.

Young children will enjoy tracing the dotted trail that the egg follows, and will be delighted by the conclusion of its journey, as it hatches and the reader discovers flaps which when lifted uncover the gorgeous multicolour baby bird hiding inside the egg (and this warrants my only criticism of the book: the pages could have been made more robust for this purpose). They will also enjoy spotting the little butterfly which appears on every spread.

There is something utterly comical and wacky about Peely Wally's appearance and she certainly does not live up to her name (which apparently means pasty or pale-looking, see here). The artwork looks simple but is actually quite intricate. I love collage when it is done well, and it certainly is the case here, conveying the right atmosphere for the story; there is something reminiscent of some of Eric Carle's work, but this is very much Kali Stileman's own style here, and it works really well.
Peely Wally is a very convincing début from newcomer Kali Stileman, and I look forward to its sequel, this time focusing on the baby bird, entitled Time for Tea Polly Wally, which is due to be released in June.

All illustrations © Kali Stileman

Torn

Cat Clarke
(Quercus)

When Alice is dragged to Scotland with the rest of her classmates for an activity-packed school trip, she is not expecting to have any fun. In fact, she is expecting it to be quite awful, especially when she and best friend Cass finds themselves stuck in a cabin with outcast Polly, quiet emo-girl Rae and queen of mean Tara. But nothing can prepare her for the nightmarish situation she finds herself into when Tara dies. Left with a terrible secret to bear, Alice's world falls apart. Until Jack, Tara's brother, lands into her life. But can Alice put her guilt aside to enjoy her burgeoning relationship?

Cat Clarke is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and talented YA writers we have in Britain at the moment. I do not know what it is about her writing, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it has an edge, a harshness mixed with real emotion that really appeals to teenage readers. I think it is because reminds of them of the emotional conflicts they go through. I had really enjoyed Entangled (see my review here), her début novel, but I think I like Torn even more. There is a lot for the intended audience to like in there: first love, friendships born and broken, intrigue and mystery, as well as a heroine who is likable but not perfect and a swoon-worthy young male character. The story is fast-paced, the writing snappy and in the right tone considering the age of the narrator (although the school librarian in me did wince at the amount of times the F word was mentioned!).

Although it becomes gradually obvious who might be responsible for Tara's death as the story progresses, I thought the final revelations were quite unexpected. The author leaves the reader with quite a bit of food for though: that nothing can ever be black and white, and that sometimes it is not quite as simple as innocent or guilty. It also questions whether not trying to help someone when death is inevitable otherwise is the same as actively trying to kill.

Cat Clarke also shows some real wit, and despite the often sad tone of the story, there are some very funny moments too. I particularly liked when Alice talks about studying English literature and says:
"Still, I can't help imagining some long-dead writer screaming from his grave, 'THERE'S NO BLOODY SYMBOLISM! IT'S JUST A STORY'". That's exactly what I thought, all the way through the three years of my degree in literature!

Entangled was a very promising first novel and with Torn, Cat Clarke does not disappoint and proves she is most definitely here to stay. This is exactly the type of British YA that every school library should have on its shelves.

Thank you to Quercus for providing a review copy of "Torn".

Sky Hawk

Gill Lewis
(Oxford University Press)

When Callum discovers village outcast Iona on his remote Scottish farmland, he is not to know that his life is going to be turned upside down. Not only because of the friendship he strikes with the little girl, but more so because of the secret she soon shares with him: there are ospreys on his farm. And so the journey to protect the birds, and specifically the female, Iris, begins. But tragedy strikes and Callum is left to help Iris on her way to Africa on his own. Callum faces heartbreak, loss, hope, despair and elation, and finds a new friendship in the most unexpected way. At the end of Iris' journey, Callum, and his friends, will be also have gone through a journey of their own, and will never be quite the same again.

Sky Hawk transports us to the breathtaking and enchanting Scottish landscape for a story that I think young readers will find inspiring. I knew very little about ospreys before reading the book and learnt quite a lot about them while reading this book. The text is informative but also fill of emotion. It is well-written and clear enough to appeal to the younger end of the intended age-range
But although the survival of ospreys is pivotal in Sky Hawk, the story is not only about protecting birds; it is about the importance of friendship, and the spirit that holds small communities, whether they are in Scotland or Gambia. The author makes a parallel between both communities which are world apart in many ways, but very similar in others. The survival of the osprey, or kulanjango, is what links them, and for both it is a sign of hope and good luck, but the real parallel is their fierce support of Callum and Jeneba.
One thing I loved about Sky Hawk is how Callum follows Iris' progress towards Gambia via Google Earth, and how, once the secret of the ospreys' existence is out, it becomes a class project, and the children get to learn about all the places Iris flies over. What an inspired idea, I would love for my children to do something similar at school.
There is something amazingly positive about this story, a large dose of hope not only for the survival of ospreys but also for us; in a society where we keep being told that people only care about themselves, it is heartwarming to read about a community which protects and looks after its own.

COMPETITION: Design a cover for Puffin Post magazine!

(Please note this is not a competition run by Library Mice)

Do you have budding artists at home? If so, this competition is for them! 

About the competition

Puffin Post is inviting children across the country to design a sporty cover for the two Puffin Post magazines. A selection of shortlisted designs will be displayed at the Imagine Festival at the Southbank Centre, and everyone who visits the festival can then vote for their favourite designs, which will be printed and posted to book-loving children across the world.


How to enter

Your entry must have a sporty puffins theme and fit onto a piece of paper that measures 211mm high x 168mm wide. You can use paints, pencils, crayons, collage or any materials you like, but try to leave a space at the top so the magazine’s logo doesn’t cover your design.


Get your whole class involved and design some really brilliant sporty covers!


Send your entry to: Design a Cover Competition, , Catteshall Manor, Catteshall Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1UU


Closing date: 31st January 2012



For more information visit www.puffinbookclub.co.uk

Puss & Boots

Ayano Imai
(Minedition)

When a gifted shoemaker finds himself out of work, his trusted companion the cat takes upon himself to save his master's business. So the shoemaker does what the cat requests by making him the most beautiful pair of red boots before he takes to the road. Because the cat has a plan, and it involves tackling the local monster, who lives in a nearby castle. Will the cat outwit the monster, and save the shoemaker from poverty?

Puss in Boots or Le Chat Botté is one of the most commonly known fairy-tales in France, and originally dates from 1697. But this new adaptation strays from the original tale by offering an alternative storyline, and author/illustrator Ayano Imai makes it very much her own. Here, rather than a prince, it is a shoemaker that the cat serves, but the feline hero and his magnificent boots still take centre stage. Puss & Boots is very much a tale of wit. Despite his fierceness, size and power, in the end the monster is unable to outwit the cat, whose perspicacity prevails, and gets caught out.

The artwork is particularly atmospheric, using a beautiful soft palette of colours. It is sufficiently contemporary-looking, yet the artwork allows it to retain a traditional and poetic feel. Whether you know the orginal tale or not, the illustration style conveys a fairy-tale setting. It is certainly a very beautiful book to look at. Although very feline looking, the main protagonist manages to remain very human in his expressions. There is also, of course, an impressive gallery of boots to look at!

This is an inspired new take on a traditional tale from a young illustrator who deserves to be discovered and admired.

All artwork © Ayano Imai
Many thanks to Bounce Marketing for providing a review copy of "Puss & Boots"

At Christmas, give the Gift of Reading!

I am taking a little break from blogging until the new year while I spend some time with my mouselings, Mr Library Mice and my parents who are coming over from France.

But before I sign off, I just wanted to share with you a very worthwhile campaign run by the National Literacy Trust.

We have not been sending Christmas cards for a few years now, mainly for environmental reasons, but instead give the money we would have spent on cards to charity. This year, we have decided to support the National Literacy Trust's Gift of Reading campaign.

3.8 million children in the UK do not own a book; that is a shocking 1 in 3 children, a huge drop from the figure of seven years ago which was 1 in 10 children. Book ownership being directly linked to literacy levels, this is worrying indeed. TheNational Literacy Trust has therefore launched the Gift of Reading campaign, allowing children from disadvantaged backgrounds to own a book for the very first time. A donation of as little as £7 will allow this to happen.
Please consider giving a donation, which will enable a child to own what we, as devoted book lovers, consider to be very precious indeed.

You will also receive one of three designs of Christmas card, by Ros Asquith, Lauren Child or Axel Scheffler. Here is the one I chose:

For more information about the scheme, and to read the report, please go here.

Merry Christmas to you all
and see you in 2012!