Benjamin and the Box ¦ Benjamin Bounces Back ¦ Benjamin's Dreadful Dream

The exploits of a myopic hamster, whose specs perch somewhat precariously on a nose which leads him into all kinds of scrapes, are great fun. In Benjamin and the Box the determined Benjamin succeeds, after a number of abortive attempts, in gaining entry to a wooden box marked 'Fragile'.

In Benjamin Bounces Back he fails to notice a 'No Entry' sign and slides, hurtles, bounces and plummets his way through various hazards before arriving - minus specs - back at the door where he reads the sign and proceeds to the opticians.

In the newest story, the irrepressible hamster suffers from an attack of insomnia - or does he? One way or another, he has an eventful night. Alan Baker's illustrations are full of detail and very lifelike. Benjamin's thoughts provide the basis for the short, easy-to-read texts; but the books should not be confined to any one age group.