Mouse trouble by John Yeoman illustrated by Quentin Blake

"The miller decided that cats were no use and he never bought another one. But he didn't know that the great tabby, still alive and much more contented than he'd ever been, was living with the mice on the very top floor of the mill, eating all the best tidbits that could find for him int he larder and playing endless games of cat and mouse."

Blurb: The grumpy miller is having mouse trouble, so he buys himself a large tabby cat. Fortunately for the mice, the cat is too unfit to catch even a single mouse. But when the miller loses his temper and threatens to drown the poor tabby, the mice decide they must intervene, as they have grown surprisingly fond of him.

Mouse Trouble was first published in 1972 but good news - there are new editions available. 

If you are visiting England, Quentin Blake has just opened (June 2026) a new Museum - The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. The centre features three exhibition galleries: one that is dedicated to Blake's work, and two other spaces with rotated exhibitions. There is also a public illustration library that holds more than 1,000 books, graphic novels, and zines.

John Yeoman (1934-2024) and Quentin Blake are a perfect combination of author and illustrator. Here are just a few of their collaborations:

Here is a partial book list of picture books: 

1969 The Bears’ Winter House

1970 The Bears’ Water Picnic

1972 Mouse Trouble

1974 Beatrice and Vanessa

1977 The Young Performing Horse

1979 The Wild Washerwomen

1982 Rumbelow’s Dance

1988 Our Village 

1995  Mr Nodd’s Ark

1998 Up with Birds!

1999 The Heron and the Crane 

John and Quentin worked together on more than 30 books, from 'A Drink of Water' (1960) right up to their most recent picture book, 'Meet the Family', published in 2022.  The two first met at Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School in the 1940s, and remained close friends

I previously talked about Sixes and Sevens and The Bear's Winter House. 

Companion book (this is old and long out of print but it could be in your school library):

The Adventures of Pongo and Stink by Lisa Nicol illustrated by Karen Blair

 

"Farmer Nic plonked the scones into Pongo and Stink's gaping mouths. The world immediately stopped turning. Pongo and Stink shuddered beneath their dog suits, barely breathing as a pleasure bomb of flavour exploded inside their mouths; like a fireworks finale erupting in the night sky."
"

Pongo and Stink live a happy life on the farm, but they want more! They want the farmer to give them the same delicious food they see him sharing with his old faithful farm dog such as scones with jam and cream and delicious hot toast and they also want pats and cuddles and to live the high life inside the house. But they are pigs - how can they achieve their dream?

Wait a minute. Rollo is a dog. Surely there is a way Pongo and Stink can disguise themselves as dogs? 

"I'm going to get myself a dog suit! ... It can't be that hard. I can do anything when I set my mind to it.' Stink rolled his eyes. He loved Pongo dearly and although he knew it was important to have faith in yourself, in truth, Pongo was over-confident. Sometimes she was even over-over confident. But while Pongo lived on the fanciful side of the street, she was also bold and fearless and full of ideas. And Stink liked those things about her very much."

What I liked:

• The small hardcover format and the cover along with the larger size print and the full page illustrations
• The dialogue between Pongo and Stink who seem like an old married couple
• The parts of the story where you, as the reader, know more than Pongo and Stink such as when they meet that dog that looks like a Shih tzu (spoiler alert is the fox).
• They way the two pigs just had to give into their piggy natures and take a wallow in mud and dig up all the vegetables and raid the refrigerator 
• When the pigs with their short legs and no spring try to jump into Farmer Nic's truck - that scene is truly funny and could be one you use if you are book talking in your library (Chapter 17)
• The scene where poor old Rollo is trying to round up the sheep and Pongo and Stink wreck everything - made me think of the television show Muster Dogs
• When the zips rust tight shut on their costumes and then the costume store is closed. I laughed when I read the sign that said Mr Waleed had gone away on a seven-month holiday although I wonder how he could afford this since he didn't charge Pongo and Stink any money for those dog suits.
• The trickster ending with the fox in the back of the dog catcher's truck

Things that didn't appeal to me (but kids will like)

• All the references to farts (or toots). One or maybe two would be fine but references like this always make me cringe. I think adding farts to kids' book is just cheap 'toilet humour' - again kids will probably love these parts. 
• The way Rollo, the farmer's dog, knew this pair were not to be trusted but he didn't use his nose to sniff out their fakery.
• Is farmer Nic in need of glasses? Surely these two silly pigs do not look like dogs? Kids will accept this part of course.

You could read this book in your family to children aged 6+ - it has 195 pages, 26 chapters and a large easy to read font with scattered black and white illustrations. Read this review from The Bottom Shelf.

Young readers will enjoy living through the high drama of tantalising highs and devastating lows. And they will chuckle along with the fart jokes, of which I am usually not a fan, but which suit the characters, who politely always say, “Pardon me.”  This book will leave your audience as happy as pigs in mud! Story Links

Thanks to Lisa Nicol who sent me a copy of her book. This book is sure to remind you of Babe (originally The Sheep Pig) by Dick King Smith.

Publisher blurb for Pongo and Stink: Pongo and Stink are FED UP with living in a pigsty. They want to live a life of luxury, all cosy in the farmhouse, getting loving pats from Farmer Nic while eating scones and jam on toast - just like their tormentor, Rollo the dog. When Pongo has the daring idea of dressing up as pups, the two piggies set out to chase their dreams. But will the wily fox scupper their plans? Or will Pongo and Stink discover that to be yourself is the greatest, mud-splattered adventure of all?

An uproariously funny tale about the difficulties of trying to be something you’re not, the power of true friendship and the perils of eating far too much cheese. Read a story extract

In this interview Lisa Nicol talks with Joy Lawn at Paperbark words about the process of writing The Adventures of Pongo and Stink.

This is also a 'grass is greener story' - see if you can find these picture books that explore that theme:

Daisy 

Once upon a small rhinoceros

I have talked previously about books which feature unlikely or contrasting friends. Pongo and Stink are both pigs of course, but they do have very different personalities - optimist or pessimist, carefree or worrier, performer and dreamer.

Here are two other books by Lisa Nicol for readers aged 10+ which I really enjoyed and highly recommend:

Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth

The What on Earth Institute of Wonder

Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills

 

Duck and Goose are best friends. Goose is a sensitive soul who loves tiny things in the world such as butterflies - especially that beautiful blue butterfly that has just landed on his head! He can't wait to show his friend Duck, but Goose does know he needs to move carefully and speak very softly so as not to startle the butterfly. 

Meanwhile Duck has found a new friend and she is wild! Thistle lives to compete, and she lives to win! She is a huge boaster and has to 'out do' everyone. 

The three play all day but Goose is not having fun. Every game turns into a competition and every time Thistle just has to win. Eventually (in a deeply emotional moment) Goose just walks away. Your young reading companions might gasp when they hear what Thistle says about this:

"Oh, that guy was going to lose anyway."

Notice how Thistle doesn't even know his name and Duck is so keen to please his new friend he does not notice his friend's reactions. BUT when they do finally talk, they hatch the perfect plan to trick young Thistle.

There are quite a few books about Duck and Goose - Duck, Duck, Goose is the second book in the series which began with this one.

Blurb from author page: Duck & Goose, Goose & Duck. Feathered friends forever . . . or are they? That’s what we discover in this charming and hilarious follow-up to the bestselling Duck & Goose. You see, there’s a challenge to their friendship: a little whippersnapper of a duck named Thistle. Thistle’s good at everything (or so she thinks), from math to holding her breath to standing on her head. Duck thinks she’s fantastic. But Goose does not! And so Goose is faced with a problem close to the hearts of children everywhere: what happens when your best friend makes a new friend?

One hopes that in the next installment, Thistle may learn a thing or two, but at least Duck and Goose have figured out how to handle her. The charming illustrations portray this tale of friendship perfectly ... Kirkus

My only tiny reservation about this story based on the concept of 'twos company, threes a crowd' is that nothing is really resolved at the end. Duck and Goose have tricked Thistle but what happens when she wakes up - this is certainly a great moment in the story for a discussion with your preschool or Kindergarten group.

Tad Hills is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Rocket and Duck & Goose series, including the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read; Rocket Writes a Story; R Is for Rocket; Duck & Goose; Duck, Duck, Goose; Duck & Goose Go to the Beach; and Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! ... Tad lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, two children, and his real-life dog, Rocket, who has not yet learned to read. Penguin Random House

Listen to Tad Hills here talking about his books. You will love seeing the full size Duck and Goose. 

Duck, Duck Goose was published in the US in 2007 and reprinted here in Australia in 2009 so sadly it is no longer in print. I picked up my copy for just 50 cents at a recent charity book sale. I am keen to gift this book to the grandchild of a friend and I will keep an eye out for any board books by Tad Hills - I think they would make good gifts for very young children.

B is for Baby by Atinuke illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

A big brother is taking a basket of bananas to his Baba (grandfather), but he does not realise the baby has stowed away and is now riding on the back of his bike - no wonder the banana basket is so heavy. The baby peeks out from under the basket lid and sees a butterfly and a beautiful bird. A mischievous baboon takes her basket lid and as they ride past a heavily laden bus the baby passes a banana to one of the passengers. Meanwhile the boy, wearing headphones, has no idea that all of this is happening behind his back. 

When he arrives, Baba reaches into the basket for a banana, and he finds the happy baby with her big smile. Everyone sits down to enjoy a fresh biscuit and a cool drink. The baby has certainly had a terrific adventure. I do enjoy stories which feature tricksters like this sweet baby. Oh, and it is fun to see all the ways this simple story incorporates so many words beginning with the letter B and so much action happens in the illustrations. Your young reading companion is sure to enjoy this visual storytelling. 

This is a clever and unusual book, with beautiful illustrations and a fun story that little children will delight in following. Atinuke’s books are always a feast for senses, showcasing the beauty of the author’s home. Book Trust

Companion book:

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and spent her childhood in both Africa and the UK. As a traditional oral storyteller, drawing upon her recent Yoruba ancestry, she visits schools and theatres all over the world. Atinuke is the author of the bestselling Anna Hibiscus fiction series, as well as the No. 1 Car Spotter series, and the picture books Baby Goes to Market also illustrated by Angela Brooksbank and Hugo illustrated by Birgitta Sif.

Angela Brooksbank worked as a designer and art director in the children's book industry before undertaking an MA at the Cambridge School of Art and turning her hand to her own illustration. Angela says, "I am constantly inspired by children’s energy and unique response to life and hope that my work conveys some of their playful spirit." Baby Goes to Market, written by Atinuke, was her debut picture book.

You might also like to look for:

This week I visited a charity book sale and I found 57 fantastic books for less than AUS$110. Among them was this one - in mint condition - ready to gift to a new baby (she is coming next month). This book was published in 2019 and I found a copy on an online bookseller site for over AUS$40 for the hardcover edition. I think the paperback edition might be available [9781406390872]. 

Poppy by Avi illustrated by Brian Floca

Poppy, a deer mouse, lives on the edge of Dimwood forest with her parents and many siblings and relatives. Their area is controlled by a great horned owl called Mr Ocax. Poppy has met another mouse from far away named Ragweed. He is a golden mouse. Ragweed has convinced Poppy they do not need to ask permission from Mr Ocax to climb Bannock Hill. Ragweed will not listen to Poppy and just as the pair step out to dance:

"Just then, Mr Ocax pulled his wings close to his body and plunged. In an instant he was right above and behind the two mice. Once there, he threw out his wings ... thrust out his claws forward and side like grappling hooks - to pounce. ... Down came his left claw.  ... clamping around Ragweed's head and neck like a wise of needles, killing him instantly"

Sorry I had to share this graphic scene. Poppy is devastated. She heads back to her family only to hear her father telling everyone that they all now need to move because they are running out of food and the family just keeps growing. Her father Lungwort and her mother Sweet Cecily decide Poppy will accompany Lungwort when he goes to talk to Mr Ocax. Poppy is sure the dangerous owl will recognise her but she has no choice. Lungwort has carefully prepared a speech to explain why the family all need to move to New House. Mr Ocax can hardly believe his ears. There is NO way he will allow the mice to move. That's it - no more discussion. Poppy and father head home but Poppy is suspicious. 

"Slowly but clearly it came back. When Lungwort asked the question, Mr Ocax because flustered. He seemed unsure about something connected with New House. ... Was it possible that there was something there - at New House - that Mr Ocax wanted to keep hidden from them. Was that the real reason for his refusal?"

There is also the story Mr Ocax has told all the mice about dangerous porcupines. The Poppy meets Ereth. He is a sharp tongued, straight talking porcupine. I love his manner of speech. He is shocked at the propaganda and lies of Mr Ocax and, even though he seems very grumpy, he actually has a heart of gold and a soft spot for young Poppy. He agrees to help her.

"Who's the world class idiot who told you that porcupines eat mice? ... Ocax! ... The great hored owl? Him? ... Poppy he's the one who eats mice! And if there's one thing that jerk of an owl is frightened of, it's me."

Poppy is a book I have often referred to here on this blog but recently I realised I had not talked about it even though I began reading this series back in 1995. I loved revisiting these books over the last week and still highly recommend this series especially as a family read aloud. The first book does have a very satisfying ending but it also offers the possibility of more adventures to come. 

Very luckily the library I visit each week has the whole set so I borrowed Poppy - which is the first book and Poppy and Rye - the second book. This series does have a prequel titled Ragweed but I think the best thing to do is to read the four books from the series then go back and read Ragweed. This photo shows two extra books that I have not seen - Poppy and Ereth and Ragweed and Poppy.

In this video Avi talks about the Poppy series. Read some review comments about Poppy here. 

Marigold and the Dark by Annie O'Dowd

Marigold and the Dark is the second book in this series which began with Left Shoe. I have read the whole series previously but when I spied Marigold and the Dark at a recent charity book sale I decided I would like to revisit the sweet little world of the Seadogs.

Jacket flap blurb: "Nearly a year has passed since Marigold first came to live with the Sandburrow family. Everything would be perfect if only she wasn't so afraid of the dark. One day, Marigold begins a journey that leads right into the territory of a strange looking Mr Many Coats. And he isn't the only strange thing Marigold encounters. How is it that the youngest pup in the Sandburrow family knows about things before they happen?"

The youngest member of the Sandburrow family is Sea Gem.  All Seadogs are twins and they are named after their birth using floatsom washed up on the beach. Sadly in the first book Left Shoe's twin has died but Marigold and "they started to think of her as one of their very own pups. She had become Left Shoe's favourite, of course, and even though she wasn't his real twin, she was always at his side."

Sea Gem "was named for a piece of glass, smoothed by sand, roughened by the sea. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean and she was completely white." Her twin is Tumblegrass. Knowing Sea Gem is white is important because later we will read that white Sea Dogs can often foretell the future.

Left Shoe and Marigold are sent to the local market. Their parents - Old Cork and Blue Bottle - only offer one important piece of advice. The young pups need to be careful goannas. Goannas like to eat Seabog pups and they are skilled tricksters who can use hypnotism. I am sure you are anticipating a disaster. 

"Left Shoe began to gaze into their inky spheres without knowing why. He mind felt feather light, as if he were on a soft cloud. He was sleepy but he wanted to keep staring into the glistening eyes, as shiny as wet stones."

Marigold and the Dark has just the right amount of tension and it would be a terrific book to read aloud in a family to children aged 7+.  You might be luck and find books from this series in your school or local library. If you are fan of cosy little worlds such as Brambly Hedge you are sure to enjoy this series. 

Take a look at the Seadogs Adventures web page

(Note some links no longer work because these books were published around 2005)

Many schools here in NSW Australia use a fairly prescriptive writing program called Seven Steps to Writing. I am not at all convinced that it produces creative or even interesting writing by children but a couple of days ago some one asked for a book like this on a Facebook forum:

We are doing narratives this term so would love some good examples of sizzling starts, backfill, tightening tension (series of events that grows in suspense and complexity), exciting endings etc.

All of this from one book? And for Grade Five? Probably impossible but in terms of tension Marigold and the Dark has some wonderfully tense scenes. This is such a short book with only 72 pages so if you can find a copy it could be used with a younger grade as an example of effective ways to build tension in a story.

Here are some text quotes:

"Are you afraid of the dark? I'm not. I don't know why, but to me the dark is like a soft cloak. I feel safe there, hidden from danger, veiled from the curious gaze of strangers. But there is someone I know who used to be absolutely terrified of the dark."

Questions - who is the narrator? Marigold is the focus of this story - is she the character who is afraid of the dark? If she is terrified of the dark who is telling her story?

"Had she been asleep for long? The last thing she remembered was the nice leathery gentleman looking into her eyes. Now she wasn't on the beach any more but somewhere else entirely. There was a dreadful stench in that airless place ...  She was trapped, a prisoner in the dark!"

"The creature was laying wood for a fire. More lizards came into view. They laughed silently. ... It was the laugh of the goanna that his mother had warned him about!"

There are two more books to read in the Seadog Adventure series  and I would also pair this book with another older Australian book (sadly also out of print).

Meannie and the Min Min

The Pumpkin Man and the Crafty Creeper by Margaret Mahy illustrated by Helen Craig

First off I do need to tell you this book was first published in 1990 so it is long OUT of Print!! If you are a publisher reading this book (I know that is unlikely) but can I BEG you to republish this gem and then consider publishing lots of other Margaret Mahy titles (so many are brilliant). If you are not a publisher then I do hope you can find this book in your local or school library. 

This book is a perfect book to read aloud. I dream one day of using this book with a group of teacher education students - reading it aloud - as a way to show them the magic of a perfect read aloud book! The library I visit each week had a copy of The Pumpkin Man and the Crafty Creeper on their shelves and I was thrilled to see it was the larger format hardcover edition. My old library copy (which very very sadly was tossed out by my unqualified replacement) was just a small, very flimsy, paperback.

Mr Parkin loves his pumpkins.  On his way back from the garden store, pushing his wheel barrow filled with the very best potting mix, he passes a small plant creeping out from under a metal gate. The gate belongs Lily Rose Willowherb. 

The plant had "trumpet-shaped flowers of such a pure and beautiful blue that they reminded Mr Parking of the sky on a midsummer's day. For a moment his loyalty to pumpkins wavered."

But Mr Parkin should not stop to talk to this plant - she is utterly treacherous. Of course Mr Parkin is not listening to me!  The plant tells Mr Parkin she is being abused by Lily Rose Willowherb. 

"She makes me stay out in all weathers. She never reads to me or helps me enjoy the finer things of life. Take me home with you, and I will be your humble little pot plant, though I am actually a rare and valuable species."

Mr Parkin is not sure this is a good idea but the little plant tells him this is not stealing. She is happy to creep, creep, creep into his wheelbarrow. 

At home Mr Parkin put her in a pot, but this is a huge mistake because now her demands begin - more water, but not too much. Turn on the television - alas for the creeper Mr Parkin does not own a television. She demands entertainment. Mr Parkin tries playing his banjo but she is not satisfied.

"I can't bear it ... I need music, poetry, light and laughter. Is that too much to ask?"

Mr Parkin phones up the 'Dial-an-Orchestra' people who are listed in the telephone book. Just to add an aside at this point it would be such fun to show your young readers a real telephone book and also, if you can find The Boy who was Followed Home (also my Margaret Mahy) you might compare this scene with the one where the parents look up witches in their telephone book and find Mrs Cathy Squinge. 

Now back to the book.

The orchestra agree to come to Mr Parkin's house and they will bring their own strawberries but they also want champagne and a piano. Of course Mr Parkin does not own a grand piano but the orchestra come anyway. They fill up the kitchen and even have to perch on top of the fridge.

"The orchestra played mightily, sustaining itself with strawberries and champagne in between minuets and mazurkas."

But the creeper is not satisfied. She demands Mr Parkin read her some poetry and at that moment Lily Rose Willowherb arrives. She has heard the orchestra and has guessed her naughty plant is causing havoc for her poor unsuspecting neighbour. 

"He kidnapped me! He kidnapped me! ... He reached through the gate and dragged me into his wheel barrow. ... I'm too sensitive for this rough life ... I'm beginning to droop."

"You? Droop? You're as tough as old boots,' said Lily Rose Willowherb, whisking it out of its pot. 'You're so tough you're practically a weed!"

When I read this book aloud in my library I would always gather some ivy or other "creeping" plant so the children (Grade 2) could see the way creepers cling onto walls and fences. 

To those attuned, the satire here cuts with rapier precision, but Mahy's use of language is so deft and good-humoured that her tale will also be read as more lighthearted hyperbole. Illustrator Craig nicely extends the characterisations, adding plenty of amusing details Kirkus Star review

Margaret Mahy, as I have said in previous posts, was a superb storyteller. I do love the way each of her books has a different illustrator. This one is illustrated by the wonderful Helen Craig who also illustrated Jam. (And the Angelina Ballerina book series). 

Baabwaa and Wooliam by David Elliott illustrated by Melissa Sweet

You may remember with Bear and Tiger in A trip to Panama there were two friends with different interests and skills who one day decide it is time for an adventure.  In this tale Wooliam is a reader ("There are not many sheep who read") and Baabwaa loves to knit ("Knitting is a very practical hobby for a sheep").  These two sheep are very content with life in their little caravan but one day Wooliam, who has been reading a book about pirates and treasure, announces it is time for an adventure.  Off they go! It is beautiful day. Which way should they go? Wooliam suggests they turn left. This means they end up walking in a circle. Eventually they stop for a bite of fresh grass when along comes a third sheep.

A sheep with a long rangy tail.
A sheep with a sharp, whiskered snout.
A sheep with a filthy wool coat.

Wooliam is not fooled. "It's that Wolf in Sheep's Clothing I've read about."

Wolf chases the sheep but then he stops with a question. "Have you actually read about me?"  Wooliam is happy to share his book but Wolf cannot read. The sheep offer reading lessons and Baabwaa will knit wolf a new coat. Can a Wolf and two sheep become friends?

There are some truly delightful words in this book:

rambunctious
lupine howl
outraged
chattercheeks

I should also make special mention of the end papers where you will see a trail of red wool with twists and turns rather like the funny plot of this story. This book should be included in every school library collection.

Melissa Sweet is the perfect illustrator for this picture book.  I adore her work. Go back and look more closely at the front cover. You will see the Wolf, the cute caravan and then notice the book Wooliam is reading - An illustrated History of Wolves!

Much of the action is set in frames, of both the hanging-on-the-wall variety and the graphic-novel variety. The characters are all highly expressive, and the graph paper and strands of yarn in the page design add to the nonstop merriment.  Great for knitters, for readers, for fun-seeking adventurers. Kirkus Star review

Sweet’s illustrations are charming, enchanting, and make it so easy to love this book from the moment you set eyes on the cover. Elliott and Sweet do an excellent job of creating characters we can all identify with and root for. Everyone gets to be both the sheep and the wolf in this story.It’s a fun way to practice empathizing with multiple perspectives. The Picture Book Review

My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything has a brilliant Pinterest collection of picture books that feature knitting. She also has a collection of picture books that feature wolves.

Here are a few titles I have talked about recently Moon by Alison Oliver; Bear and Wolf by Daniel Salmieri; Brenda is a sheep by Morag Hood; and I am so clever by Mario Ramos.

Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore

Tuesday Treasure

Sid, the black cat lives on Aristotle Street. The people who live on this street don't talk to one another. This is lucky for Sid because it means he can enjoy six delicious meals each day but he does have to use six different identities. He is known as Scaramouche, Bob, Satan, Sally, Sooty and Schwartz. Life is good for Sid until the day he catches a cold which turns in to a cough. Each family takes him to the vet - that's six vet visits and six doses of medicine. Luckily the vet becomes suspicious. He checks the records and discovers there are six cats living on Aristotle Street all with a bad cough.

The people from Aristotle Street gather together. "When they discovered what he had been up to, Sid's owners were furious. They said he had no business eating so many dinners."  Every one agrees Sid will only have one meal each day but this does not suit Sid. He moves on to Pythagoras Place where again there are six houses and hopefully six dinners but unlike Aristotle Street, the people who live in Pythagoras Place do talk to one another. Can Sid still enjoy his six dinners?

In 1990 I showed Six Dinner Sid with a Kindergarten teacher. From then on, for over 30 years, various Kindergarten teachers continued to share this wonderful book with their students along with Scallywag which makes an excellent companion or comparison text.

There is a second story about Sid.

Inga Moore was born in the UK but lived in Australia as a child. She is the illustrator of several classic stories such as The Secret Garden and The Wind in the Willows.  She is also the illustrator of a book I really love - The Vegetable Thieves. Six Dinner Sid won the Nestle Smarties Prize in 1990. Her two earliest books - Aktil's Big Swim and Aktil's Bicycle Ride are on my Tuesday treasure list. I am still hoping to come across copies of these so I can share them here.

Marguerite's fountain by Rachel Elliot illustrated by Petra Brown

"Every day Benjamin watched Marguerite dancing 

around the fountain. He longed to be friends with her 

but Benjamin was shy and didn't dare."

Marguerite dances alone but one day Randolph arrives.  He wants exclusive rights to the fountain so first he flatters and flirts with Marguerite and then he banishes her to the sewer.  Benjamin is distraught.  He knows he must take a stand and rescue Marguerite. He may not he brave but Benjamin is a problem solver.  He finds a way to turn off the fountain then he tells Randolph :

"The fountain is missing Marguerite."
"The fountain is unhappy because Marguerite is unhappy."

Randolph goes underground to investigate the problem but emerges dirty and unsuccessful. Benjamin then steps into the drain and when he emerges not only has he 'fixed' the fountain but he has found his voice.  He declares to Randolph :

"You are a coward! ... your heart is stony as the cathedral and as tiny as a single drop of water ... Leave now."

I have read some criticism of Marguerite's Fountain.  Yes Marguerite is a white mouse, Randolph is black and Benjamin is brown and perhaps this is a cliche but the illustrations (here is Petra Brown's web site) are very special and I think the message is too - bullies should not be allowed to 'win'.

Close to the Wind by Jon Walter

One reviewer quoted, on the first pages of this book, says "I read it in one sitting".  I am sure you will too. My local bookshop staff have mentioned Close to the Wind to me several times.  I think it was the focus for their family book discussion group.

When people say to me "oh you only read 'kids' books" I usually smile and say yes!  But later I think does this make me less of a reader somehow?  Close to the wind is a book I now need to carry in my head or bag.  When someone claims 'kids books' are somehow lesser or lower than those written for 'grownups' this is the book I know will totally debunk this myth. I would love to be able to place a copy straight into their hands.

I loved Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett. Close to the Wind has a similar, if less confronting, feel. It is a totally absorbing story and I know my walk in the shoes of this little boy will linger with me for a long time.

Malik and his family are living through the horror of a war. Papa rescues Malik from a wardrobe where his mother has hidden him. He has hastily gathered things into a rucksack.

"Papa had made a game of packing.  ... He had got Malik to go around the house and find things for him. The string. The tools. The gaffer tape. They might all come in useful ... "

On their third night on the run the pair take shelter in an abandoned and looted house.  While they are there they are visited by two men.  Malik's grandfather Salvatore Bartholomew knows these men. Malik watches the adults talk.  At one point they each take out the money they are carrying.  Jon Walter is such a skilled writer you can almost feel the atmosphere change.  One of the men suggests this will not be any where near enough money to pay for a passage on the ship which will carry them to safety but Salvatore is not worried because he has something even more precious.  You will gasp as he reveals this to the two men.

We never find out the time or place for this story of war, terror and violence but the way Jon Walter takes us inside the mind of little Malik - sharing his rapid thoughts of worry and optimism - mean that you very quickly stop trying to link these events with any real time in world history. Here is an example of the way Malik thinks through the events that threaten to overwhelm him :

"The ship was getting ready to leave and he was on his own.  What if Mama was already on board like Papa had said? What if he had missed Papa as well? Perhaps Papa was looking for him now, searching the queues at the front of the quay? He should have done what Papa told him and stayed exactly where he was. He stared at the red door of the Port Authority building, deciding whether to go in."

Here is a video of the author talking about his book and here he reads the first few pages.  Here is an extract you can read and an interview with the author.  If I have not convinced you to read this book then take a look at this review.


In Close to the Wind, Jon Walter reveals the rare ability to create totally believable characters and settings in few words and with great simplicity. His prose is almost invisible: nothing comes between the reader and the book's action and emotion.

The roller-coaster ride of experiences and emotions, taking Malik and readers from fear, despair, loss, and grief to love and hope, is accurately drawn.