Not Me!

Nicola Killen’s debut picture book is a delight: clever characterisation, colour, page design and narrative structure perfectly realising a simple idea which engages its young readers at every level. The title page spread introduces us to five children and a dog who are each subsequently responsible for their own double page of childhood mess.

The reader is given lots of clues to each culprit, including a rhyme which points to their name, as they each charmingly but unavailingly deny their guilt. It’s great fun and there are, incidentally, some good ideas for making a mess, if children haven’t realised them already. Inevitably, too, on the last page, there is encouragement to clear up afterwards.