Katy and the Nurgla

Katy and the monstrous Nurgla are both having a February holiday in Majorca (he usually spends the summer in Loch Ness). When they meet on the beach Katy is unperturbed - 'She had imagined far worse-looking creatures' - and before long she is reading him The Wind in the Willows, making barbecued chicken on his not breath, and teaching him good manners. But the Nurgla is more than he appears and there's a touch of S.F. about this delightful short story. Its humour and warmth make it a good choice for a family read-aloud or an early go-it-alone.