Siobhan McCrystal

This is one long fold out book written and illustrated by Rob Jones, depicting a daytime and a night-time scenario for Tilly and her pals. It’s a down on the floor type book, best read unfolded and displayed in its entirety. Then you can travel along the length of Tilly to find out why she is laughing so much and who exactly is the mystery tickler. All her dinosaur friends seem to be minding their own business having tea, reading, swimming or roasting marshmallows and it is not until the very last page that we find out who the tickler is.

Every librarian will love this book. Not only is this book about a wolf who loves books and his library, it also rhymes and flows perfectly for reading out loud to young children. It is a good story made for reading to groups and has a positive message. Children will share Wolf’s realisation and his disappointment that he doesn’t fit nor like the traditional fearsome wolf image. Why can’t he be like the heroes that he admires so much?

Like a poem, this book almost sings. The pink, sparkling thread that weaves its way enchantingly throughout the book draws us into a child’s world of creativity and imagination. The illustrations fully capture the magic that is at work here.