Child's Play

Pippa is wowed and intrigued and worried in equal measures as she learns of the special moves her family and friends are preparing for the upcoming Big Dance. What if she doesn’t have any of her own? Or what if they’re rubbish? Or maybe it’s the dance itself that is silly! Before she knows it, Pippa is having a sulk and it will take everyone’s understanding, patience and love to make her see that the dance can only be ‘big’ if she takes part in it, because the Big Dance is ‘where we are all the same and all different, [w]here we can all be ourselves together.’

Bif is a little monster who has a BIG problem. It is a BIG, RED ROCK! And the problem is the big red rock is in his way. Bif enlists a number of his monster friends (and their friends) to help him move the big red rock. These helpers very conveniently include a Big Red Rock Eater, a Green Rock Driller and a Purple Rock Tickler, among others. But try as they might, none of them can move the big red rock. Eventually, in frustration, a monster dance party breaks out and all is resolved – or is it?

The Paddling family live on a tiny island, surrounded by a lake. Mrs Sally Paddling catches fish, Mr Albert Paddling teaches swimming, and they travel everywhere by row boat. This is how they live all year round, with their son and new baby. Well, except in summer, when the lake dries. Then, unfortunately, they have quite a way to travel to partake in their beloved water-based activities.

This is a charming and fun tale about a young traveller girl named Ossiri whose family are ‘Tattini Folki’ or rag-and-bone people. Ossiri’s family recycle unwanted old goods, mending old clothes, fixing broken furniture, selling scrap iron. They live in caravans and are happy. Ossiri loves music, but the family can neither afford to buy her an instrument nor to lose her if she had to travel the country as a musician.

Mr Moon seems to spends most of his time snoozing, making him an excellent bedtime companion but a rather languid playmate. He can’t seem to be tempted by anything, be it games, puzzles or even adventure stories. However, one night our boy protagonist follows Mr Moon through the vines and branches of their wallpaper. As they roam through a magnificent moonlit garden, the boy soon discovers that Mr Moon is no stranger to adventure after all!