The Minpins by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Patrick Benson

I think by this stage most kids over eight have read themselves, or listened to the audio books of Fantastic Mr Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches and all the other Roald Dahl greats. Even as I type Matilda is playing on a little CD player in the bedroom above me. (Miss Trunchbull has just fallen over.)

But yesterday my ten year old came home with The Minpins on loan from his teacher. I'd heard of it from my friend Sarah a few years ago, but think its safe to say its a slightly lesser known Dahl title. Illustrated by Patrick Benson, it was an unexpected treat for both of us. I love Patrick Bensons soft, gentle on the eye drawings, and could read Owl Babies a thousand times (actually, I probably have) and not get tired of those many, tiny black lines. Just look at this forest, and these little people.

Anyways, it was his bedtime read last night, lets find out what he thought.

"I loved it."
Why? What was it about?
"There was a boy who wasn't allowed into the woods and he went in and was chased by the Gruncher! 
The Gruncher? Who was that?
I loved the Gruncher! You couldn't see him, only his breath, he breathed out smoke because there was fire inside him, and you could see his shadow."
So what happens to the boy?
"He climbs up a tree and finds the Minpins."
Who are they?
"These nice little people who are afraid of the Gruncher."
So does the boy help them?
"Yes! Its brilliant, he leads the Gruncher..."

I'll leave it there as I don't want to give away the ending but suffice to say, its a good one.

Picture books like this, with a bit more bite, are great. It gives older kids an age appropriately gripping tale and the pleasure of great illustrations too. This would be a perfect present for anyone between eight and twelve. I mean, why should the little ones get all the nice stuff? Picture books for all ages, I say!

P.s. I forgot to mention that one his favourite parts of the book was the way the Minpins talk to and travel on birds. Pretty cool right?

Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell and Helen Oxenbury

Yesterday I asked my twelve year old to pick out a picture book that he remembers wanting to read again and again. He handed me Farmer Duck.

"There once was a duck who had the bad luck to live with a lazy old farmer. The farmer stayed all day in bed and the duck did all the work."

I  must confess the thing that the first thing that made me smile about this book is the way the lazy farmers underpants, trousers and socks are laid over the end of his bed to "air." You know, so he can get a few more days wear from them. That is if he gets out of bed at all. This guy just gets his duck to do all the work and takes it easy in bed with the newspaper and a  box of chocolates.

Oh that poor duck. He does everything. Just look, all by himself he chops wood, digs up the spuds, washes the dishes and does all the ironing. Rain, hail or snow he runs the farm, tending to the sheep, the hens and the cows. Every once in a while the farmers roars from his bed "How goes the work?" and the weary duck always answers "Quack."

Eventually, thankfully, the other animals notice that the duck that the duck is "sleepy, weepy and tired." Concerned about their friend, they have a meeting to figure out how to help. And the farmer gets routed out of bed at last. Which is exactly what he deserves.

P.s. As well as writing classics like Owl Babies and the Little Bear books, Martin Waddell has also written for older kids under the name Catherine Sefton.  I just found that out now. So I have been reading him all my life. Helen Oxenbury too has been in our house since the kids were babies, her board books were well chewed, although my favorite is definitely The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig.