Momo celebrating time to read: Grey Island Red Boat by Ian Beck

Princess Opal lives on an island where everything is grey. The sky, the land, the buildings and even the sea. One day a small boat appears and it is red. The boat carries a stranger who brings the magic of colour but the King does not like this magic and he orders the guards to throw this boy - Wendell Lightfoot - into the castle dungeon. Opal hatches a plan to set her new friend free but can this pair escape the King? And what do the people of the town think about all the colours they can now see in their world. The rainbow on the cover might give you a hint of that all important happy ending.

My only very tiny quibble with this charming love story comes at the end because Opal still appears to be grey - the magic touch of colour has not changed her - I wonder why?

This is a profound new fairy tale which reveals how hope and light can manifest in even dire circumstances and the possibilities of bringing them into your life permanently. Ian Beck's illustrations, partly realised in silhouette, are very beautiful. Book Trust

The book's also the right size and weight for small hands. It's not just a book either - under the front flap there's a picture to colour in and under the back flap there a 'spot the difference' puzzle ... The Book Bag

This is an original story but it reads like an elegant European fairytale. The beautifully written text, laden with references to precious stones, flows from one page to another, complimenting the gorgeous, retro illustrations. An Awfully Big Blog Adventure

I highly recommend these early chapter books called Little Gems published by Barrington Stoke. This one has eight very short chapters, 80 pages and is well set out with plenty of space between paragraphs. It is dyslexia friendly but really any young reader will enjoy this gem!

Every school should have Little Gems books they manage to bring together the very best children’s authors and illustrators to create the most amazing range of books. Book Lover Jo