Tales from Allotment Lane School ¦ Three Cheers for Ragdolly Anna

Both the characters and the incidents in Margaret Joy's twelve stories certainly ring true and I am sure that children will recognise Asif, Nasreen, Jean and the other members of Miss Mee's class. Designated 'Read Aloud' in the new Young Puffin categorisation, but, as with any such labelling, this should not be taken as definitive - although ideal for reading to younger children, this collection will also be enjoyed by solo readers of around six to eight. Ragdolly Anna makes what I know will be a welcome return for many young readers in six further adventures, though now the heroine has grown to 'eighteen inches tall' and so more is expected of her by the Little Dressmaker. Line drawings will add to the enjoyment of the child reader but here again, this book can also be enjoyed by very young listeners especially if they have been following Anna's adventures on television.