OFF TO THE FAIR by Christopher Wormell. (Jonathan Cape pound;10.99) is the story of a walrus, an elephant and a bear who set out for a day at the fair, but get spectacularly sidetracked. Wormell is an excellent illustrator of animals and these coloured pastel drawings shimmer with wit and vitality. The tale is sophisticated enough to attract children up to Year 1.
Mouse TV by Matt Novak, republished by O’Brien Press (pound;4.99) is a clever, moral tale, for a wider age range, about the downside of watching television. A group of mice argue about what they want to watch, especially during the adverts. The humour is slightly surreal and there is inventive detail in the illustrations, presented in TV-shaped boxes.
More morals in Whatever Wanda Wanted by Jude Wisdom (Gullane Children’s Books pound;9.99), about a spoilt girl called Wanda who is marooned on a desert island. Children will love the colours and shapes of Wisdom’s graphic pictures - a series of richly coloured collages - and enjoy Wanda’s transformation. Plenty of scope for discussion and artwork in the classroom.
