Annie and Maeve are Definitely Not Friends, by Olivia Muscat

Enmity turns to friendship in this realistically told story.

Eleven-year-old Annie has left her old school St Lucy’s after a bout of bullying from her former friends. After a recent accident that left her blind and with a limp, fellow students inexplicably turned on her, unable to cope with the change. On her first day at North Avenue Primary Annie is assigned a buddy, Maeve. Maeve is a long time North Avenue student. She is also blind.

The girls are immediately suspicious and contemptuous of each other. Their blindness doesn’t create camaraderie. But as circumstances keep throwing them together, and challenges call for joint resolve, they find their defences lowering. When a talent contest dares Annie to step out of her shell, she finally triumphs and conquers the trauma of her accident and bullying, also finding a loyal tribe of friends. 

Olivia Muscat is a writer and disability activist. Annie and Maeve Are Definitely Not Friends is a middle grade novel about being vulnerable and finding your place in an often difficult and uncertain world. The story alternates between Maeve’s journal entries and a traditional third person narrative, deftly tracking Annie and Maeve’s personal transformations. A feel good story of courage and resilience that rings true to every word. 

Ages 9-11

Annie and Maeve are Definitely Not Friends, by Olivia Muscat. Published by Freemantle Press. $17.99

JUNE 2026

Ivy and Bearlock: The Case of the Missing Flower, by Kristyna Litten

A fun, endearing, endlessly inventive children's mystery for emerging readers.

Young Ivy and her grandfather Bearlock Holmes are crime sleuths. When they go on an outing to the botanic gardens to see the famed agave flower, which is blooming for the first time in 100 years, they are shocked to find themselves plunged into a mystery. The great flower has been stolen. Detective Hopkins, a rabbit that has a habit of falling asleep on the job, is the first at the scene. But you guessed it, he promptly succumbs to a nap. It’s left to Ivy and Bearlock to use all their crime solving skills to solve the mystery. The plot thickens as a honey trail, involving beekeeper Wilfred Buzzbee, queen bee Beatrice and badger honey sellers Bruce and Barry, leads to an unlikely culprit. 

Writer and illustrator Kristyna Litten has created a real treat for young mystery fans. The story has a delightful cast of characters, witty dialogue and innovative twists and turns. Readers are taken for an exciting journey that includes beekeeping, archeology and underground tunnels. There are also puzzles, interesting botanical facts and other fun educational aspects. Written in the style of a graphic novel, with intricate and charming illustrations, newly independent readers will love Ivy and Bearlock. 

​Ages 5-9

Ivy and Bearlock: The Case of the Missing Flower, by Kristyna Litten. Published by Magic Cat Publishing. $21.99

APRIL26

A Stocking Full of Spies: The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 3, by Robin Stevens

When two mysterious deaths occur at the famous wartime code breaking centre Bletchley Park, the guilt is pinned on a most unlikely suspect.

It’s 1941. The British are secretly breaking German codes at Bletchley Park. When their school is bombed, twelve-year-olds May Wong and Nuala O’Malley find themselves working as messengers at the famous code breaking centre. Secret codes aside, there are other mysteries afoot at Bletchley Park. An adult family friend of May’s has been implicated in murder. Bertie Wells, while doing routine military night training at the park, accidently killed fellow code-breaker Llewelyn Huxley. Or did he? There were others there during the training session, and it was nighttime. Anxious Bertie, lacking in confidence, thinks his gun went off accidently, but he can’t be sure. As May, Nuala and fellow sleuth Eric investigate, another murder happens. The obnoxious Colonel Hugo MacNair, leader of one of the code breaking teams, dies suddenly after drinking a cup of tea laced with strychnine. Could the two deaths be linked? And what of rumours that a spy, working for the Germans, is in their midst.

Children’s author Robin Stevens has made a well deserved name for herself as the Agatha Christie of children’s literature. In this second series (the first, Murder Most Unladylike, was set in 1930s England) Stevens concentrates on the Second World War. The characters, language and expressions all brilliantly capture the time, right down to the timing of jokes and delivery of punchlines. Besides Agatha Christie, there is even a hint of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh in Steven’s effervescent storytelling. The plot is endlessly ingenious and the narrative superbly paced. There’s not a dull page in sight. An added bonus is the novel’s educational aspect, which teaches readers about the workings at Bletchley Park, and its role in helping the Allies win the war. 

Kids’ detective fiction that doesn’t disappoint.

A Stocking Full of Spies: The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 3, by Robin Stevens. Published by Puffin. $16.99

FEB26

The Adventures of Pongo and Stink, by Lisa Nicol

Two pigs masquerade as dogs, with hilarious results.

Pongo and Stink are two pigs living in the barn at Farmer Nic’s. Life is pretty good, despite the occasional midnight visit from a menacing fox. But Pongo aspires to more. When she sees Farmer Nic’s dog Rollo living it up at the farmhouse, enjoying affectionate pats and scones with jam and cream, she starts to get ideas. She suggests to her good friend Stink that they dress up as dogs. Stink is cautious, and he takes some persuading, but soon enough they find themselves at Mr Waleed’s costume shop, being fitted out. All goes to plan. Farmer Nic is fooled by the costumes and the pigs enjoy all the delights that the farmhouse has to offer. Until that is they are asked to perform real dog tasks, like rounding up sheep. 

Lisa Nicol’s piggy adventure is a zany romp full of delightful improbabilities, where costume sellers speak pig and a farmer doesn’t recognise his own animals wearing fluffy zip up suits. But the story has such a wonderful energy that the reader is happily taken along for the ride. Think Shaun the Sheep meets Roald Dahl. With delightful illustrations by Karen Blair. Warmly recommended!

Ages 6-10.

The Adventures of Pongo and Stink, by Lisa Nicol. Published by Penguin. $19.99

JAN26

The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof, by Annie Schmidt

A network of cats help a journalist break a big news story

​Tibble is a reporter with the Killenthorn Courier, but he is in trouble with his editor. His boss says he writes too many cat themed stories, and needs to write on other topics. The trouble is that Tibble doesn’t have a very forceful personality, the type a journalist needs to ask confronting questions and get the breaking scoop. Then something strange occurs. He is sitting in the town’s Green Square when a dog comes bounding through. Up a nearby tree there are rustling leaves and Tibble presumes a cat has sought refuge, having been chased by the dog. But it turns out to be a woman, not a cat. Her name is Minou. The strange thing is, she actually is a cat that has been mysteriously turned human by eating something from a bin near the Institute for Biochemical research.

Minou is looking for a home, and starts sleeping in a box at Tibble’s apartment. The good news is Minou still speaks cattish, and can communicate with all the local cats, of which there are many posted at all the town’s main spots, like the hotel, church and post office. Soon Tibble is getting great tip offs for articles from this makeshift cat press agency. Trouble brews when the town’s most eminent citizen, Mr Ellmore, a factory owner and professed animal lover, is discovered by the cats to be up to no good. Can Tibble’s pen, with the help of the cats, expose Mr Ellmore?

Annie M. G. Schmidt was a famous Dutch children’s writer. The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof was first published in 1970 and is re-printed here by Pushkin Press, with a translation by David Colmer. Schmdit’s prose is light and breezy, carrying the narrative along at a pleasant clip. The story has a zany tone and much of it requires the suspension of disbelief (for adult readers at least, children will be more sensible). The broad cast of cats is a delight, with some fun names (Ecumenica is the church cat). The best drawn cat character is Tatter, a tough-as-nails street cat who has had umpteen litters and gets into her fair share of scrapes, only to emerge triumphant. There is a vague theme of finding the courage to overcome your fears, but the real thrust of the book is a devotion to nonsense and fun. 

A bright and inventive entertainment that will enchant readers of all ages.

The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof, by Annie Schmidt. Published by Pushkin Children's $19.99

JAN26

Tree. Table. Book., by Lois Lowry

When an elderly neighbour suffering memory loss is to be put into care, her eleven-year-old neighbour stages an intervention.

Sophie Winslow is eleven-years-old, and her best friend Sophie Gershowitz is 88-years-old. They are neighbors and greatly enjoy each other’s company. If only life could go on as it always has, but changes are afoot. Sophie’s son, Aaron, is concerned about her failing memory and is planning to move her into assisted care. The younger Sophie is alarmed at this, and hatches a plan to prove Sophie Gershowitz’s memory is just fine. She starts to test Sophie’s memory, making her create memorable stories around particular words. And so the younger Sophie starts to learn about Sophie Gershowitz’s traumatic childhood in Poland during the Second World War. 

Lois Lowry is an award winning American children’s author. Tree. Table. Book. is a gentle story about painful change. It has a light tone with comic touches, coming in the form of Sophie’s friend Ralpie and seven-year-old mini-genius Oliver who they often look after. Realistic and full of heart, this is a story that celebrates life - the bitter and the sweet.

Tree. Table. Book., by Lois Lowry. Published by HarperCollins. $17.99

SEP 25

Pernickety Boo, by Sally Gardner

A talking umbrella with magic powers finds his forever home.

When a muddle-headed wizard unwittingly bungles a spell, he brings to life an umbrella. Pernickety Boo - a talking dog’s head attached to an umbrella canopy - finds himself abandoned by the forgetful wizard to a lost property depot. He languishes there for several years until he meets Sally Moonshine, a young girl who takes an immediate liking to Pernickety Boo. He moves in with Sally and her two Mums, meeting several interesting characters along the way, notably the cat Jimjam and a horse named Crackers. Pernickety and Sally experience many adventures, especially once Pernickety figures out how to use his time travelling skills. But danger looms when brattish Billy Turpin decides he wants Pernickety Boo for himself.

Best selling children’s author Sally Gardner has written a winning story full of whimsy and clever nonsense. Think Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. All of the novel’s interlocking parts shouldn’t really work - a talking umbrella that even the adults see as perfectly normal, talking cats that performed as circus acts in previous lives, plus a host of other absurdities - yet Sally Gardner has the magic touch and creates a bubbly, effervescent tonic out of this seeming chaos. 

A book sure to delight young and old readers alike. 

Pernickety Boo, by Sally Gardner. Published by HarperCollins. $19.99

June 2025

Puggleton Park, by Deanna Kizis

Peril for Penelope the Pug when she gets lost in Puggleton Park. Can she find her way home again?

“It’s a truth everyone knows that all dogs need a forever home,” opens Puggleton Park, the first in a series of Regency-era chapter books for emerging readers. Poor Penelope the Pug has found herself lost in Puggleton Park. Whilst relaxing with her Lady, she eyed a dreadful squirrel and decided to chase it. Bad move. Now she finds herself a stray. All is not lost, however. Good fortune manifests in the person of the kindly Lady Diggleton, who takes it upon herself to find Penelope’s Lady. This turns out to be no easy task, further complicated by Lady Diggleton’s friend Lady Picklebottom, who finds stray dogs quite horrid and wants Penelope sent away. Can Penelope be reunited with her Lady and live happily ever after?

Deanna Kizis (with delightful illustrations by Hannah Peck) has written a fun and often funny take on the Jane Austen classics. The story is full of society balls, high teas and proper decorum (Penelope is put through her paces by the fastidious dog trainer Mr Weeby), ending with a surprise disclosure by the dowager Lady Foxwise. A spirited and amusing frolic that doesn’t disappoint.

Readers 7-10 years

Puggleton Park, by Deanna Kizis. Published by Penguin. $11.99

JAN 25

The Eyes and the Impossible, by Dave Eggers

A wild dog tells his story

​On a small island park live a community of animals - gulls, squirrels, pelicans and racoons. They all co-exist on mostly friendly terms. A group of bison, which are fenced off in an enclosed area, are the mysterious keepers of what is known as “the Equilibrium”. A prominent figure in this collective is Johannes, a wild, free dog who is also regarded as “the eyes” of the park, a quick footed animal that can roam and report back on anything unsettling or out of the ordinary. One thing Johannes notices is the creation of an art gallery. Seeing a procession of odd paintings being carried in, he is often mesmerised by their strange shapes and beautiful colors. These aesthetic distractions sometimes get Johannes into trouble. 

A revelation occurs when Johannes comes across a field of goats, munching away on anything and everything. He has never met this type of animal before, and when he questions them, he discovers that they are from the mainland, having arrived by ship. He strikes up a friendship with one of the goats, Helene, and a plot is hatched to free the bison and secretly harbor them on the ship, thereby making it to an almost promised land where everything is bigger and better.

Dave Eggers has written an engaging story with wonderfully fleshed out characters. The small world of the little island is vividly imagined, with each animal performing various functions that show their ingenuity and ability to work together. The story has adventure (Johannes is kidnapped at one stage), friendship and humour. Helene the goat, who worries about her personal appearance, is often quite amusing. Overall, The Eyes and the Impossible, like all good children’s fiction, has that uncanny ability to create a fully fleshed and believable world, with characters you feel like you know. 

A highly enjoyable and absorbing story that is a pleasure to read. 

For readers 8 - 12 years.

The Eyes and the Impossible, by Dave Eggers. Published by Anderson Press. $19.99

NOV 24

Puppet, by David Almond

 

A puppet comes to life in this sweet and sad story.

Silvester is a retired puppet maker. He has recently sent off his collection of puppets to be archived in a museum. He is also bereaved, having lost his wife Belinda who was his partner in the puppet business. They used to do shows together for children. But that wonderful time has passed. One day Silvester decides to make a new puppet in his attic. To his surprise the puppet shows signs of life and becomes animated. Simply named “Puppet”, he walks and repeats the word “jam” after Silvester tries to feed him toast. Silvester nervously takes Puppet to the local park, where he gets into a few scrapes, but also meets the sympathetic young girl, Fleur, and her mother Antonia. It turns out Antonia and Silvester have a prior connection, an enthusiasm for puppets which Fleur has inherited. Even though Silvester may have officially retired his puppets, he is pleased to see his passion live on through the young girl. 

Acclaimed children’s writer David Almond’s new novel Puppet finds its obvious inspiration in Pinocchio, yet he develops his story further into a sensitive meditation on friendship, creativity and grief. With illustrations by Lizzy Stewart.

For readers 8+

Puppet, by David Almond. Published by Walker Books. $24.99

OCT 24

Ferris, by Kate DiCamillo

A joyous children's novel of bustling family life.

The Wilkey family are a bustling clan with plenty to keep them busy. Ferris (so-named because she was born beneath a ferris wheel), whose main fault is that she tries too hard to please others, is dealing with life at a transitional phase, just before entering fifth grade. Her grandmother, Charisse, who lives with the family, keeps seeing a ghost. She has some health issues and the ghostly visions could mean something darker, perhaps a summons from the world beyond. In other family developments Uncle Ted has left his wife and taken to the Wilkey family’s basement, to pursue his work as an artist. Then there is the youngest member of the Wilkey brood, six-year-old Pinky, who runs around terrorising people in a black cape, announcing she has become an outlaw.  

Award winning children’s author Kate DeCamillo’s latest novel is a sheer delight. She perfectly captures the dynamics of chaotic yet joyful family life, with extended family members living under the one roof. The comic scenarios involving Pinky are laugh-out-loud good and the close friendship between Ferris and young pianist Billy Jackson is especially sweet. A feelgood book that also deals with serious issues of grief and mortality. 

Ages 9-12

Ferris, by Kate DiCamillo. Walker Books. $19.99

JUN24

The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery

L.M. Montgomery, best known for Anne of Green Gables, wrote this uplifting story of a woman who turns her back on polite society in order to find her true self.

Valancy Stirling is twenty-nine years old and already considered an old maid by her patronising family. She's teased and infantalised. Unremarkable in the looks department, no one holds out much hope for her. Life is accordingly miserable, for the most part because she's forever trying to fit in and keep everyone around her happy, fulfilling their expectations, rather than her own. When Valancy gets a serious medical diagnosis, she decides she's had enough of living for other people. In an about face that shocks her family she starts giving candid opinions, takes up a housekeeping job with Roaring Abe, the town drunk, and elopes with Barney Snaith, a man with a reputation as a possible jail bird. 

Everyone is horrified by Valancy's behaviour, and they quickly move to disown her. The only consolation is that she's gone mad. But the truth is, Valancy has never been happier. In the end, through several twists and turns in the plot, the family makes peace with Valancy's decision to marry Barney Snaith, but for quite selfish reasons. 

The Blue Castle (1926) was published as a novel for adults, but it hardly veers off L.M. Montgomery's formula for children's fiction. Like a lot of the Anne series, the novel hovers somewhere between the two genres. It's an easy-to-read and emotionally satisfying story of liberation from society's shackles. Or more to the point, the shackles we put on ourselves. Montgomery does an excellent job of creating a cast of insipid and self-satisfied family members who hold Valancy back, and the reader will find themselves barracking for the story's heroine. The scenes where Valancy lives with Barney Snaith on his idyllic island display Montgomery's skill for inspiring nature writing. One tastes her freedom in living wild, enjoying life's simple pleasures. 

A highly entertaining story with a serious message about personal liberation. 

The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery. Published by Union Square & Co. $19.99

JAN24

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo

 

A group of five puppets go on a journey

The story starts with an old sea captain named Spelhorst who once lived above a tailor's shop. The old captain liked to wander around the city, to take his mind off his troubles. His heart had been broken many years ago and he'd never gotten over it. On one of his walks he comes across a toy shop. Hanging in the toy shop's window are five puppets – a king and a wolf and a girl and boy and an owl. The sea captain eventually puts the puppets in a trunk with the name Spelhorst written on it. Sadly the captain dies and the trunk is sold on. Eventually the puppets come into the possession of two young girls, Emma and Martha. They create a special performance using the puppets.

Meanwhile, the puppets are animated and have a life of their own. They talk among themselves about their fate and have their own distinct, sometimes comical, characters. The king sees himself as an exalted monarch, while the wolf is proud of her prowess as hunter. In one amusing scene the maid, Jane Twiddum, mistakes the owl for an old duster and throws him in a bucket. In another hair-raising encounter the boy is picked up by a hawk and taken on a ride, only to be dumped in the forest.

Kate Di Camillo has set her magical tale in an imagined early nineteenth century setting. There are maids and parlour rooms and the clip clop of horses' hooves – think the Regency period of Jane Austen. The novel is rich in atmosphere and Di Camillo's language expertly evokes a fabled world of long ago. The story cleverly ties up the sad longing of the sea captain in the puppet's final performance.

An entirely satisfying story mixing elements of imaginative play and grief. Children's storytelling doesn't get much better than this.  

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo. Published by Walker Books. $24.99

NOV23

Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell

Two children unwittingly find themselves in a battle against evil

In a secret part of the world, protected by a secure passageway, is a place called the Archipelago. It's a place of wonder, populated with the creatures of ancient myth: unicorns, sphinxes, nereids, mermaids, dragons, hippocamps and centaurs, to name a few. When a young boy named Christopher Forrester comes across a baby griffin in a lake, he finds himself drawn into the archipelago. There he meets Mal Arvorian. She tells of how a magical force keeps the archipelago and its wildlife thriving, but its natural sustainability is under threat from malevolent forces. Mass extinction and ecological disaster looms. Through a series of great adventures and battles, Mal learns she has been enlisted to help save the Archipelago from ruin, with Christopher offering all the help he can.

Children (8+) will eat up this fantasy / adventure story. Katherine Rundell writes in a crisp, well paced prose. There are all the usual set pieces – magic flying coats, floating buildings, strange creatures – creating a fabled world that is never short of surprises. The serious themes of the book (ecological destruction caused by greed) are balanced by Rundell's wit and cheerful style. The bittersweet ending will leave readers emotionally satisfied.

Adventure, the battle between good and evil and a wild cast of characters (the gruff sailor Nighthand is a delight) make Impossible Creatures a sure delight for young fantasy readers.

Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell. Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. $18.99

OCT23

The Twenty-One Balloons, by William Pene du Bois

A retired schoolteacher is found in the Atlantic Ocean with twenty deflated balloons.

Professor William Waterman Sherman is a retired school teacher. He decides to take a leisurely balloon trip, departing from the city of San Francisco. His balloon is somewhat of a luxury one, as it carries a basket the size of a small house, fitted out with the basic necessities for comfortable living. The trip goes well, with the Professor flying over the Pacific Ocean, until some seagulls start pecking at his balloon. He crashes to earth and finds himself on the volcanic island of Krakatoa. It is there he meets a certain Mr F, who introduces him to the unusual inhabitants of the island. Twenty families reside there, living on what they term a “restaurant economy”, equally sharing cooking responsibilities and making sure the cuisine is always varied and delicious. The most extraordinary aspect of the island is the revelation that it contains a diamond mine, with enough diamonds to make all the island's residents multi-millionaires. However, there is a sting in the tail of this apparent good fortune. The full diamond value can't be realised because if they were all sold on the world market it would chronically depreciate their value.

The residents spend their days in pleasant pursuits, and have invented some interesting technologies of their own. One charming novelty they have created is a merry-go-round which is suspended with balloons. Another invention involves a huge suspended platform – again with balloons, twenty in all – that is to be used in case of a volcanic eruption, when a speedy getaway for Krakatoa's residents would be required.
When the Professor is later found mysteriously floating in the Atlantic Ocean, he is rescued and presents a talk at the Western American Explorers' Club about his experiences.

William Pene du Bois published The Twenty-One Balloons in 1947, with illustrations by himself. The book soon went on to win an award, the Newbery Medal. It's an exciting and innovative adventure story, with plenty of amusing contraptions described in minute detail – think TV's Gilligan's Island, but technologically more sophisticated. The novel is well paced and lively (the early scenes describing the gathering excitement as the Professor travels to deliver his speech, from a specially prepared bed to accommodate his fatigue, is especially amusing).

A thoroughly enjoyable children's classic full of energy, invention and good cheer. 

The Twenty-One Balloons, by William Pene du Bois. Published by Puffin.

MAY23

The Country Child, by Alison Uttley

Alison Uttley's absorbing and brilliantly recalled memoir of early childhood.

Published in 1931, The Country Child is one of English writer Alison Uttley's first books. It's a hard one to categorise. It's considered a memoir, but reads like children's fiction. It describes Uttley's growing up in rather idyllic rural circumstances. There are lush descriptions of flora and fauna, fresh country air and clear moonlit nights. Sometimes the ugly realities of farm life intrude - notably, the slaughtering of animals - but then the narrative returns to its bucolic pleasures. 

The Country Child very much reminded me of the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. A more floral version, if I can put it like that. Wilder's series has a lot more human drama and danger, whereas Uttley's book is ensconced safely in the bosom of a stable farm and community life. Wilder describes life on the frontier, while Uttley's family has spent seemingly generations in the same village.

A book perhaps for literary aficionados - adult lovers of children's fiction. I can't imagine it's target audience, children, reading it. Unless they were particularly smart. 

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, by L. Frank Baum

 The fourth book in the Wizard of Oz series.

After an introduction by the author, in which he feigns annoyance at his young readers for pressuring him to write another Oz book, for also suggesting storylines and insisting that Dorothy must appear again (along with other favourite characters), Baum gets to the story...

Dorothy has met up with her second cousin Zeb in California. She is with her cat, Eureka (Toto doesn't appear in this novel). The two go riding in Zeb's buggy, which is pulled by his horse, Jim. Suddenly an earthquake hits. Huge craters start opening up everywhere. There is much panic. Helpless against nature's onslaught, Dorothy, Zeb, Eureka and Jim fall into a massive crater. They fall and fall, until they reach a place called The Land of the Mangaboos, a metropolis made of glass. Other adventures ensue until Dorothy and her friends (the "humbug" Wizard of Oz, joins them early in the book) are imprisoned and about to suffer the death penalty. Cool headed Dorothy doesn't panic, but merely advises she only has to give the special signal and Princess Ozma will return them all to Oz. And so it is. The final chapters take place in the land of Oz, with Dorothy re-united with many old friends from the earlier books. 

I didn't find this fourth installment of the Oz books as compelling as the earlier ones. It felt like a series of ad hoc adventures thrown together, one after the other. The novel picked up more once we are returned to Oz. 

Having said that, I'm still looking forward to reading the next installment, and perhaps this fourth book had been a lull in Baum's creative powers.

The Enchanted Castle, by E. Nesbit

 

A magic ring takes four children on many an adventure.

Three siblings - Gerald, Jimmy and Kathleen - are staying with their French governess, Mademoiselle. On one of their exploratory walks they come across a castle, replete with gardens and marble statues. It's an idyllic place. Walking through the rose garden they discover a young princess reclining on a bench. She is in possession of a magic ring that can make one invisible, although the true power of the ring has been misunderstood, and using the correct charms will make it perform any manner of wonders. 

It soon turns out that the princess in the garden is no princess at all, but a girl named Mabel, the niece of the housekeeper. The four children quickly become friends and experience many adventures and magical happenings. 

E. Nesbit published The Enchanted Castle in 1907. The book is a masterclass in children's writing. Nesbit mixes humour, magic and a touch of the absurd into a story that is both surreal and beautifully imagined. Although it must be said there's no real plot to speak of, but rather a series of strange and baffling happenings, presenting challenges that the plucky children all rise to. There's also a touch of Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream in the final sequences that see lovers reunited in the castle's gardens at night. 

As near perfect as a children's book can be.

The Enchanted Castle, by E. Nesbit. Published by Vintage Classics. ISBN: 9781784873073

The Adventures of Parsley the Lion, by Michael Bond

Meet Parsley the Lion and his friends from the herb garden.

Parsley the Lion and his friend Dill the dog live in a herb garden. The garden is watched over by Constable Knapweed, who always has a notebook at the ready to jot down any behaviour that seems out of order. Other characters include Mr Bayleaf, Sage the owl, Aunt Mint, the school teacher Mr Onion and his students, the Chives. The 18 stories in The Adventures of Parsley the Lion centre mostly around Parsley and Dill, with other characters making appearances. In one story Dill tries to sell his amateur paintings, which he passes off as masterpieces; in another Dill has an open day for his kennel, insisting it is one of England's stately homes. When Parsley buys a car, it is with disastrous results; and an important telegram is misinterpreted by the over confident Dill, leading the two friends to miss a fun barbeque.

Parsley the Lion first appeared in 1968 in a children's TV series called The Herbs, created and written by Michael Bond (Paddington Bear). The stories collected here are from published books that tied in with the TV series, with gorgeous new illustrations from Rob Biddulph.

Funny, endearing, whimsical and very British, the world of the herb garden is beautifully evoked in Michael Bond's superb storytelling. This is quality children's literature, with nothing dumbed down or made gross. The Herb Garden and its denizens have much to teach us, all in a good, fun way.
Ages 5 +

The Adventures of Parsley the Lion, by Michael Bond. Illustrations by Rob Biddulph.  Published by HarperCollins. $19.99

APRIL23

The Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum

In an opening note, L. Frank Baum writes that many of his readers had written to him requesting a follow-up to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. They especially requested a story featuring the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow. Baum writes that it only took him four years, suggesting a touch of writer's block. 

The Marvelous Land of Oz is not really a sequel to the original book. The heroine, Dorothy Gale, makes no appearance, but is spoken of by the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow. Instead the story centres around a young orphan boy named Tip. He is the charge of a wicked witch named Mombi. She is a mean guardian  and Tip longs to escape her clutches. To try and scare her, hence giving her a taste of her own medicine, Tip carves a scary face into a pumpkin and builds it a body out of tree branches and twigs. He names his invention Jack Pumpkinhead. But Mombi is too clever by half. She realises what Tip has been up to, and throws some magic powder over the pumpkin head, thus bringing it to life. The plan backfires on Mombi, as Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead escape together. This leads to an adventure in Emerald City, where the Scarecrow now reigns as king. Alas, all is not well, as a rebel army of young girls marches on the king's palace, forcing the Scarecrow to flee. The group - Tip, Jack, Scarecrow and an animated Sawhorse - decide to seek protection in the Winkie Kingdom, where the Tin Woodman is emperor. More adventures ensue, with the introduction a bizarre character called Woggle Bug, and a surprise ending when Tip's true identity is revealed. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the Oz series. It's been many years since I read the first book, of which I wasn't the biggest fan. I fear the famous film overshadowed the book. But The Marvelous Land of Oz was an absolute delight and often quite funny - especially the army of rebellious girls, sick of doing housework. Their leader, Jinjur, assures a worried Tip and company that the looming was will be "pleasant". That is, entirely peaceful. (They use knitting needles as a weaponry.) 

Perfect children's storytelling. I am tempted to read the third book now...