Maisie Moo and invisible Lucy by Chris McKimmie

This brightly coloured and busy picture book will appeal to younger readers and adults alike as they follow Maisie Moo and Lucy through the days leading up to their town's Christmas concert. In a very few pages, we are introduced to the whole family, Dad off driving trucks, Mum selling things through the Gone Bonkers Discount Palace, and the effervescent Maisie helping Mum.

The family is strong and cohesive with Dad away but when he returns he tells Maisie wonderful stories. Maisie and Lucy help in the shop but when things go awry they are sent to bed. She often sleeps in and one morning when she wakes late, she hears two kookaburras in the kitchen, her father is home. That night Maisie plays the drums at the Christmas Party and everyone thinks she is 'a little bit wonderful'.

A delightful story, Maisie Moo and invisible Lucy will have small children telling of their own families and who they play with. The story gives children the opportunity to talk about their friends, whether real or imaginary, and what they really like to do. Visual humour abounds on the beautifully coloured pages, which reflect the range of medium used in its production. It's great to see this listed on the publications page too, as this gives the opportunity to older kids to work out how the drawings were done, and giving them another layer to the story.

Themes: Fathers, Dogs, Enthusiasm.

Fran Knight