Growing Home by Beth Ferry illustrated by The Fan Brothers

The only thing to note about Number 3 Ramshorn Drive was the big oak tree in the front yard—and what went on inside. I can promise you it won’t be what you are expecting. Unless of course you are expecting a story about two plants, a spider, and a magical fish tank. Oh, and cheese puffs—lots and lots of cheese puffs. 

If you’re expecting that, then this is the story for you.

And don’t forget, hope is like a hook ... 

Once it catches hold of you, it doesn’t easily let go.

First off I need to say this book will be nearly impossible to find here in Australia unless, like me, you are prepared to read an ebook version. If you do find the book [9781665942485] the price of the print edition is way too high for a school library at over AUS$32 for this 272pg middle grades illustrated novel. Hopefully there will eventually be a paperback edition for a better price AND booksellers will bring it here to Australia (hint hint Gleebooks Kids).  

Here is a list of the characters in this book. I am sure you will find it hard to imagine how there could possibly be a story that connects them - a goldfish named Toasty; an ivy pant in a pot named Ivy; a spider named Arthur; a violet plant in a pot named Ollie; a canary named Sunny; and a bee named Louise. Listen to this podcast. And here is part two of that same podcast. 

Jillian's parents run an antique store. They have dreams of 'making the big break' and finding an antique worth tons of money. Right now this is even more important because Mr and Mrs Tapper have made some unwise decisions, borrowed too much money from the bank and now they are in real danger of having no money and perhaps no home.

They regularly visit garage and farm house sales and that is where they found the very curious octagonal-shaped fish tank (that is where Toasty lives). The parents, however, have no idea that someone else wants this tank nor do they know it has magical properties. 

Jillian is desperate for a pet but Toasty the fish is all she is allowed to have until she finds Ivy. Yes, Ivy is an indoor plant, but Jillian loves her and talks to her. In fact, Toasty is becoming quite jealous about their relationship. Also, Ivy is sure SHE is Jillian's favourite.

Mr and Mrs Tapper bring home an old large desk from a bookshop - the house is filled with the antiques the collect. What they do not know is that a little spider has made the desk his home and even more importantly (but I cannot tell you why) this desk also contains a very large, very old, first edition (hint) book.

So in this story there will be heroism, teamwork, everyone will make new friends, and of course you will be smiling over the glorious happy ending. This is a perfect book to share with readers aged 7+. 

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

Ivy was the small houseplant who sat on the kitchen table. She had three speckles on each leaf and three letters in her name. “Good morning, Ivy!” Jillian sang. “Who’s ready for some sunshine?” Jillian had never actually announced to anyone that Ivy was her favorite, but Toasty could tell. Actions speak louder than words. So do singing and dancing and kissing. Jillian picked Ivy up and danced her to the window, where the sun could kiss her leaves. The sun had never kissed Toasty’s fins or his face or his tail. Not once. Not ever.

“A goal of the day keeps the boredom away!” she said. ... “ROY is the beginning of the rainbow,” Ivy explained. “It stands for red, orange, and yellow. I’ve decided my goal of the day is to find something for each color of the rainbow.”

Despite not being her favorite, Toasty loved Jillian. She might have questionable judgment when it came to favorites, but she was always doing something interesting. And when you’re a goldfish—even a goldfish in an octagonal tank—interesting is important. Toasty couldn’t wait to see what was in the box. He was sure it wasn’t cheese puffs, but as we’ve said, hope is like a hook, and Toasty was hooked on cheese puffs. And hey, weirder things have happened.

And in that moment, Arthur realized that he, too, had a superpower. It was reading. Which explained why there were so many books in the world. Everyone wanted a superpower.

You will remember that Toasty does not have very good manners. It’s still up for debate as to why that is, but it is a fact. Toasty felt like his home was being overrun by strangers. First a spider, then a violet, and now a bee. Enough was enough! “Manners, schmanners. What’s next, a horse?”

“Friends, schmends,” Toasty muttered. “Cheese puffs are better than friends.” “Nothing is better than a friend, Toasty!” Ivy admonished.

Listen to an audio sample here. And I found a video of Beth Ferry reading the opening chapters of her book.

One of my favorite things about this book is the abundance of wordplay the author uses. Whether your kid is an English nerd or just loves a funny book, they’ll have plenty to giggle about while reading this one. It features a truckload of puns, new vocabulary words taught to readers as they read, and beautiful illustrations to bring each chapter to life. Reading Middle Grade

"Ferry has presented a wonderfully imaginative story with magic, mystery, and adventure, set almost entirely in one setting (goldfish tanks don’t move that easily). In addition, detailed pencil illustrations by the talented Fan brothers are sprinkled throughout, and these add whimsy to the novel’s delightfully expressive animal and vegetal protagonists, especially Toasty, with his signature bowler hat and perpetual frown." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Kirkus review: Each character has a distinct personality and perspective; sometimes they clash, but more often they learn to empathize, see each other’s points of view, and work to help one another. ... The Fan brothers’ soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur with tiny hats; Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. ... The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways, this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo ...

This book will be a really terrific family read aloud. I suggest you buy a packet or two of cheese puffs - Toasty loves these and because he kept talking about them I started to want to eat some too. I am not sure what we call these here in Australia but I found this packet which is sold at our local supermarkets. 

You can read more plot details here. 

Bookseller blurb: Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper of Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet—swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank—and should be the most loved. It seems that's how the cookie (or cheese puffs, in Toasty's case) crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever. First, there's the arrival of Arthur, a knowledgeable spider with a broken leg and a curious mind, hidden in an old typewriter. Then Jillian throws everyone for a loop when she brings home dear, sweet Ollie, a school houseplant who just wants to be friends and sing. When Toasty splashes the plants with his tank water out of frustration, the friends learn that they can do magical things—like lift heavy objects and turn things invisible! It turns out Toasty's fishtank isn't just for fish; it was made by a curious inventor who gave it special powers that, in the wrong hands, could disrupt everything forever. And a curious man with purple shoes just so happens to want that tank at any cost. Can Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie grow to be friends in time to work together to save their beloved Tupper family from utter ruin?

I have previously talked about lots of book illustrated by The Fan Brothers and also Beth Ferry (check out her page about Growing Home) and see all her books here.  I am excited to meet The Fan Brothers at the 2026 IBBY Congress on Ottawa. 

Pablo and Birdy by Alison McGhee illustrated by Ana Juan

"I don't want any more fake stories ... I want my real story, the whole story. I only know the part that begins here, when we came floating in on the waves."

Before you read this book you might like to listen to Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan because this is the song that forms the background of Pablo's life with Emmanuel. 

As a tiny baby Pablo washed up on the beach of an island named Isla. The baby was in a small blow-up swimming pool with a lavender parrot. Fast forward and Pablo is turning ten. That day he arrived there had been a tropical storm with strong winds. The local weather reporter calls these 'the winds of change' and they haven't been seen on Isla for nearly ten years. According to local legend 'winds of change mean fortune lost or fortune gained'.  Pablo is about to turn ten. It is predicted the winds are coming. Pablo is upset with all the speculations about his origins. This birthday he is questioning everything, and he wants to know the truth. 

Pablo's best friend is Birdy. She is a parrot who washed up with him all those years ago and she is his protector, but she cannot fly and she cannot 'talk'. The tourist industry of Isla is built around another legendary parrot called the Seafaring Parrot or Seafarer. 

"Reported sightings of Seafarers were very rare, and only when the winds of change were blowing. ... But the most unusual trait of the Seafaring Parrots, according to legend, had to do with sound. Sounds exist in vibrations ... Humans with their unexceptional ears, could hear a sound at the moment it was made, and thereafter only in memory. But not the remarkable Seafaring Parrot. For them, all sound lived on for all eternity ... at any given moment a seafarer could hear and reproduce all the sounds ever made. The laughter of everyone who ever lived. The cries of everyone who ever lived."

Could Birdy be a Seafaring parrot? If she is, then she will be able to tell Pablo the true story of where he came from—of who tied him so lovingly and safely to that raft? But, if she is, that also means the second part of the Seafarer myth is true…that Seafaring Parrots will, eventually, fly away. Simon and Schuster

There are deeper themes in this book about migration and home and belonging:

"Emmanuel, why did you family leave Cuba? ... 'For the same reason that most people leave their hoe, Pablito ... To make a new life somewhere.' 'But why?' Padlo persisted. 'Why would anyone want to leave their home?' ... 'It's not always a question of want, my boy. Countries can be like families. Sometimes they argue with other countries, or the people in one country argue with each other. Things turn out bad. Life can feel impossible, whether because there's no way to make a living or there's war or, for whatever reason, they don't feel free."

I also loved the parallel story of the stray dog that Pablo eventually rescues. It always warms my heart when a dirty tangled haired stray is washed and fed and cared for. Alison McGhee gives her readers little fragments of the back story of this little dog but at the end we never really know how he came to be on Isla and how is arrival is at exactly the right time for Pablo.

A quiet, memorable, fantastical tale beautifully complemented by Juan’s illustrations.  Kirkus Star review

Above all things, this is a story with heart. Mountains of it. Pablo and Birdy are impossible not to love, and the townspeople are natural neighbors, which one wishes they could have. Pablo's search for answers, his attempts to save Birdy and the ache of discovering the truth make this an unforgettable tale. Bookworm for Kids

Here are some comprehension and vocabulary questions.

I read so many books one of my strategies to keep their plot lines clear in my mind is by try to avoid reading books with similar plot lines one after the other. With Pablo and Birdy I broke this rule - albeit unintentionally. My post yesterday talks about The What on Earth Institute of Wonder by Lisa Nicol. That book has so much in common with Pablo and Birdy:

• Both stories have a child who has be sent a special bird
• The child can communicate with their bird but others cannot
• The bird in both stories is rare and somehow living in the wrong place
• Spoken or unspoken the bird offers wisdom
• Both contain specific pieces of music
• Themes of rescue and belonging underpin both stories

I picked Pablo and Bird up at a charity book sale. It was published in 2017. It is still available. I probably won't keep this hardcover copy because I noticed it has become a little mouldy which is a shame. 

Companion books:

The Summer we found a Baby

Jubilee

Foxlight

The Shelterlings by Sarah Beth Durst

"Each of them had left their home, trekked to the very top of Cloud Mountain and drunk from the Moon Mirror - a pool as perfectly round as the moon, which bestowed a magic power on all who drank its waters - and each had been told by the wizards that the magic the water had given them was small and useless."

Okay begin with the title - what are Shelterlings?  Shelterlings are animals who now live together in a shelter for Rejected Familiars. They all longed for an adventurous life so they climbed a mountain to gain a magical gift and then expected to become a familiar for a wizard. Working with a wizard would mean a life heroic deeds and grand adventures BUT all of the various animals in this book have failed. Their magic is either strange, seemingly useless or it just doesn't work properly. 

Here is a list of some of the animals and their magic:

• Holly is a squirrel and she can conjure pastries of any flavour or size.
• Charlie is a beaver and he conjures flowers - enormous in size and quantity.
• Gus is a barn owl who can turn himself in a stone.
• Periwinkle is a thief who can find 'lost' objects.
• Clover is a cow who tells prophesies but you need to expect the opposite things to happen.
• Zephyr is a fast turtle with no brakes.
• And more - skunk, porcupine, fox, mouse, bat, gecko, toad and flamingo.

Charlie has been in charge of the shelter where the rejected familiars live. He did leave a while ago but now he has returned with a fabulous plan. He knows how the rejects can repair their magic and fulfill their dreams. He tells the group about seven important objects that need to be collected and then taken to the Moon Mirror, where with the help of a magical spell, everyone will have their magic restored and then they can find a wizard and become a true familiar. Their days as Rejected Familiars will be over. BUT is all of this too good to be true?

While Charlie was away, Holly has been in charge of daily life at the Shelter. Now she decides they all need to work hard to collect the seven objects and strangely while they do this each discover their failed talents are actually very useful. But there is something else going on. Charlie is wise and kind but then he seems to snap and snarl. Does he have another plan for the seven objects and that spell he will cast at Moon Mirror? And what are these magic items - a flower that must be plucked from a cliff as the sun hits the petals at dawn; a herb that grows in the place where there has been a lightning strike; a desert fruit that ripens under a full moon; a pearl found deep in the ocean; a heart-shaped moon rock buried in a volcano; a crystal in a cave; and a piece of a fallen star.

An amusing, fast-paced fantasy with an impressive rodent hero. Kirkus

Blurb from author page: Holly the gray squirrel dreams of being a wizard's familiar and performing mighty magic. But squirrels aren't exactly known for being noble companions, and Holly's only magic trick is conjuring pastries. A tasty talent, but useless. Which is why she lives at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars with other oddball magical animals, including Gus (a barn owl who can turn to stone), Zephyr (a super-fast turtle with super-slow reactions), and Clover (a cow who constantly predicts the future but is always wrong). When an old friend presents a plan for curing the shelterlings' so-called defective magic, it seems like a dream come true -- but first they must find the rare ingredients of a powerful spell. How can a group of misfits complete such an impossible quest? And more importantly, should they? Maybe being different isn't a mistake. Maybe it's exactly what's needed to save the day!

Listen to an audio sample here from part way into chapter one. Read chapter one. And read more plot details in this review. I didn't race through this book but I think it will appeal to quest and fantasy fans aged 10+. 

I previously talked about this book by Sarah Beth Durst:

The Stone Girl's Story

Begone the Raggedy witches by Celine Kiernan

When I love a book I usually fly through the pages. That didn't happen with Begone the Raggedy Witches which has taken me several weeks to read. Many of the review points made here resonated with my experience of this book. There are however, some clever plot ideas in this story and some memorable characters especially Mup and her new friend Crow.

Mup (her real name is Pearl) lives in our world with her mum (Mam) Stella, her Dad, and her little baby brother named Tipper. They have a loyal old dog called Badger. Aunty Boo, who has been protecting the family, has just died. Then the witches arrive:

"There were men witches and women witches, and they leapt from branch to branch, racing along at tremendous speed. They were nothing but shadows among shadows, so that Mup had to strain her eyes to see them."

Mup has no idea about her mother and her heritage. Stella is the sister of the evil queen. Dad has been taken as a way to lure Mam over the border. Mup follows her taking her dog and her baby brother who is luckily transformed into a young puppy which means Mup does not need to carry him or worry about food etc. Aunty Boo is now has a ghost like form and she comes along to help Mup and rescue Mam. 

The evil Queen (who is somewhat like the Snow Queen or the Queen from the Narnia series) has murdered hundreds of citizens and imposed dreadful rules on people who do not conform to her rules. People are forced to speak in rhymes, dancing and music are banned as are colours. This reminded me of the Chain of Charms series by Kate Forsyth. Also Fire Girl and Fire Witch which are set during the time of Cromwell (links below).

The use of rhyme as a means of controlling communication is central to maintaining the Queen's hold on her subjects. If they don't speak in rhyme, this alerts the Raggedy Witches to their whereabouts. If they do speak in rhyme, the constraints that places on real communication keep the outlaws in their place. Reading Zone

Mup must journey to the castle to rescue her dad and find her Mam. Of course all of this is also leading to a huge confrontation with the Queen. Read more plot details in this Book Bag review. 

Publisher blurb:  When witches kidnap her dad, Mup is swept up in a wild tide of magic that carries her to another world. Can she reunite her family and find her way back? On the night that Aunty dies, the raggedy witches come for Mup’s family. Pale, cold, and relentless, the witches will do anything for the tyrannical queen who has outlawed most magic and enforces her laws with terror and cruelty — and who happens to be Mup’s grandmother. When witches carry off her dad, Mup and her mam leave the mundane world to rescue him. But everything is odd in the strange, glittering Witches Borough, even Mam. Even Mup herself. In a world of rhyming crows, talking cats, and golden forests, it’s all Mup can do to keep her wits about her. And even if she can save her dad, Mup’s not sure if anything will ever be the same again.

I would recommend this book for readers aged 10+ with reading stamina and readers who enjoy fantasy (with a touch of humour - Tipper made me laugh). 

Companion reads:

The Wild West Witches

Fire Girl and the sequel Fire Witch

The girl who drank the Moon

This is the first book in a trilogy. Here are the next two books:

Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast by Sue Whiting

NO ADVENTURE TOO SMALL

NO CHALLENGE TOO GREAT

ADVENTURE BY STEALTH

LEAVING NO TRACE

Pearly is on her own. Well not quite, she has her pig called Pig. Luckily Pearly has some impressive skills especially with languages even animal languages such as 'pig'. Luckily Pig also has impressive skills with his fined tuned nose which can sniff out trouble in all its forms. Unluckily Pearly has been caught by a very deranged woman who is intent on travelling to Antarctica.

Antarctica?  Why does Emmeline Woods want to go there? 

This book is a rollicking adventure with plenty of twists to keep readers turning the pages. It will appeal to readers aged 10+ or slightly younger as a read-aloud. This book will be released in March 2022. Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy. 

Publisher blurb Walker Books: Pearly Woe is a worrier. She worries about everything, especially that she’ll never be brave enough to become a member of the top-secret group of stealth adventurers – The Adventurologists’ Guild. Pearly also has a special talent – she can talk to animals. Her favourite animal to talk to is her pet pig, called Pig. But with her parents missing, Pig pig-napped and Pearly a stowaway on an icebreaker heading for Antarctica, Pearly’s worries just got REAL.

Pearly's parents are members of the Adventurologists' Guild. At the back of the book you can read their Charter; Rules; list of Basics; and ten ways to survive a sticky situation.

Some rules are: 

• Stay Alive
• Tread lightly
• Never answer the Adventure Phone - unless an authorised member of the Adventurologists' Guild

Surviving tricky situations:

• Take initiative
• Think outside the square
• Make the impossible possible
• Don't panic
• Expect the unexpected
• Knowledge is power

Companion reads:

Melt

The Last Bear

The Doldrums

Twitch

The Pearl in the Ice

Marcie Gill and the Caravan Park Cat by Monica McInerney illustrated by Danny Snell

It is Summer. Marcie and her family own a caravan park. Marcie has a older sister who is crazy about tennis and a young brother who is crazy about his pet fish. Marcie is in the middle. This summer is a time of change because Marcie's beloved Grandmother is in hospital. Marcie has the task to look after Gran's caravan and more importantly to look after Gran's cat - George. One day Gran gives Marcie an ancient wishing stone and so the magic begins. 

One small incident in the story involves a town competition to decorate your business for Christmas. Marcie and a team of her friends work hard to make the caravan park look terrific in hope of winning the cash prize. They make hundreds of paper flowers echoing the beautiful roses which were originally planted around the caravan park by Gran and her late husband.

The council run competition reminded me of The Christmas Caravan which is a long time favourite Christmas story of mine.

The town competition also reminded me of one I read about recently in this new book My Brother Ben (written for a slightly older audience). 

Marcie does feel like a real girl in this story with her ups and downs of mood, her questions about life, her pesky siblings and her need to understand her parent's problems but it is the cat, George, who really steals the show.  

I can't highlight one special moment or plot point from this book but I do recommend it because it is sweet summer story set in Australia featuring a likeable young girl and her grandmother's very special and wise cat. Young readers aged 8+ (with some reading stamina because it is 244 pages) will enjoy this book or you could use it as a summer family read aloud. 

Blurb from Penguin: Marcie Gill hasn’t had a great start to the Christmas holidays. Her parents aren’t talking to each other and the family business – the Snorkel Bay Caravan Park – is in financial trouble. Her younger brother will only talk about his 23 goldfish and her sister is obsessed with tennis. To make matters worse her gran is in the hospital after a bad fall and won’t be home for ages. But then something magical happens. Something that involves a Christmas competition, a black cat called George and a wishing stone. Marcie is about to discover that if you wish hard enough, dreams can come true.

Here is the trailer.  In this video Monica and Danny talk about their book. Here is a set of simple activity pages.

Beloved, award-winning Australian author Monica McInerney has written a delightful and entertaining first book for children. With guiding illustrations throughout by award-winning illustrator Danny Snell, this is a heartwarming story ... Better Reading

Danny Snell is the illustrator of Somewhere in Australia; Seagull; Jeremy; and the wonderful book The Fire Wombat.

Gus makes a fuss: Pet Sitters Book One by Ella Shine illustrated by Lisa Flanagan

Cassie and Lina do not own a pet. The girls are best friends. Both sets of parents say no to pet ownership but Cassie and Lina are desperate especially since their town of Barefoot Springs is about to hold a Pet Parade. 

As chance would have it the lady down the road has a cat and he needs pet sitting.  Gus is a rather special cat. He has one grey ear and one white one, "a cute little nose and a bit of a frowny face. He's like a grumpy little fur-ball." You can probably imagine Gus in your 'mind's eye' but you will never guess the other thing that makes Gus rather special. He can TALK but only if both girls are in the same room. Being able to talk means Gus can make his demands known. He is not happy that his owner seems to regularly abandon him. On the day of his arrival Gus escapes and then his owner returns earlier than expected. It's a pet sitting disaster.

Will the girls be able to attend the Pet Parade - with a pet? Can they ever be trusted to pet sit ever again? And what about grumpy Gus?

Gus Makes a Fuss is the first book in the Pet Sitters series. I am always on the look out for easy chapter books with good stories.  This book is not quite at the level I search for but the story did hold my interest. I think it will suit readers aged 7+ to read independently or 5+ if the story is shared by an adult.  I did enjoy the cheeky and bossy voice of Gus. At the end of Gus makes a fuss the stage is set for further adventures and pets!

Here are some books which I would suggest to readers as companion books to go with Gus makes a fuss. There are several books in the Lulu series; The Bed and Biscuit series; Pet Hotel; and Daisy Dawson (she can talk to animals).

You can hear the first chapter on the publisher web site - Puddle Dog Press. This series are also available as ebooks.

This is the first time I have been sent a book by an author. I have explained to "Ella Shine" whose real name is Penny Reeve that I am excited to read her book written with Cecily Paterson but I will only talk about it here if I enjoy it. I avoid negative comments. If I read a book (and I do read heaps of books every week) and I don't really enjoy it then I just don't mention it here. I was interested to discover the authors (who run Puddle Dog Press) sent their book to the television presenter Pip Rasmussen. Pip is my friend's daughter and she was a presenter on ABC Me. I wonder if she talked about this series on her program? 

"Pet Sitters: Gus Makes A Fuss is cheeky little story that will have you wanting more - more Gus, more chaos, more pets!"  Pip Rasmussen

Here is the message from Penny:

I saw your link to your book review group on Your Kids Next Read. I'm one half of the author team behind the pen name 'Ella Shine'. We've recently published a new early chapter book series for 6-9 year olds called Pet Sitters. I was wondering if you'd be interested in reviewing one of our new books.  The books are available in ebook, audio and print - you can see more information on them at our website www.puddledogpress.com 

Thanks, Penny

Here is the full set of Pet Sitters titles. I think they would make a good addition to a Primary School library. The covers are bright and appealing and the pace of the story means readers will keep turning those pages. 

Zoo Boy by Sophie Thompson illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown

Hello, dear reader.
Are you sitting, lying down, standing on your head, eating a jam sandwich comfortably?
Then I'll begin ...

Zoo Boy is one of those little books you might miss in all the flurry of new books arriving in our school library and that would be such a pity because this little book is terrific.  Yes it is a very funny little story of a boy who can talk to the animals in the zoo but it is also a poignant tale about the power of giving and gratitude.  It also contains the most delicious words such as scurrilous, mollycoddled and deplorable.

Zoo boy Vince lives beside a zoo. His dad is the zoo keeper and entry to the zoo is via a special Zoo Keepers' Song.  Today Vince has turned eight so it is time to join his dad in the zoo.

"Vince felt like the king of the castle  But before he had time to gloat and imagine all the ermine on his cloak and how big his crown should be, an enormous badger who smelt of old socks appeared from the scrubby shrubbery."

Vince discovers he has grandad's gift - the gift of understanding the language of animals.  This is thrilling but it is also a huge responsibility as the animals gather around Vince and make their demands.  These demands might surprise you :

Penguin - fish fingers
Flamingo - Battenberg Cake - the pink bits
Pig - free range eggs
Owl - sugar mice
Llama - Sherbet lemons
Goat - clover and denim shorts

Luckily down the road there is an Everything You Could Possibly Want For 99p Unless It's Slightly More Expensive Shop. The owner of the shop is "a ridiculously cheerful man called Leviticus Corkindale Percival Calamine Periwig Candlewick Throooob. But everyone just called him Bob."

I also adore the character names used by Sophie Thompson (an English actress) such as Fenella (flamingo), Horace (the helpful wild badger), Asquith (penguin) and Terry (orangutan).

There is so much to love about this book and I think it would make an excellent read-a-loud title for a Grade One or Two class.   When you pick up this book you might like to begin with pages 85 and 86. Events towards the end of this book are so distressing (dear reader) that the narrator inserts an early ending to spare you any pain.

If I haven't convinced you to read this book think about bunting made from a long string of stolen undies all lit by fireflies. Such fun!