Little Boo!; Little Suddenly!
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Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration by Fangorn is taken from Brian Jacques’ Lord Brocktree (Hutchinson, 0 09 176877 2, £12.99), the thirteenth title in the internationally best-selling Redwall series. Salamandastron, the ancestral home of the Badger Lords, is under threat from Ungatt Trunn, an enemy whose power would seem to be absolute and whose evil knows no bounds. The only hope for survival is the badger Lord Brocktree who is drawn to the fortress by an undeniable sense of destiny. Brian Jacques' masterful storytelling as always spins a web of high adventure that will enthral the reader from the first page to the last. Thanks to Hutchinson Children’s Books for their help in producing this September cover.
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Little Boo!
Little Suddenly!
Preston Pig marches jauntily through the small format pages of Little Suddenly!, apparently oblivious to the wolf's shadow close behind and, despite Mr Wolf's final sudden leap, gets safely home to bed. My two-year-old was unimpressed; she will, I suspect, be well past board books before the convention of wolf as predator is part of her understanding, never mind the ambiguity inherent here: is this a game or for real?
In the companion volume Little Boo! Preston and Mr Wolf are best of friends, taking turns to hide and 'boo' each other; this hit the mark and delightedly we read, and read again, joining in with the simple, repetitive text. Despite the inconsistency, these titles are a welcome change from the usual safe board book subjects, and the drawings in McNaughton's familiar jokey style make them a good choice for older toddlers and as a transition to more complex stories.
