The Tootle Hooter and Bluebell's Stolen Smile

It seems like foreverand-a-day since I read a goodnight story to my children, who are now 25 and 13 yearsof-age, respectively. For parents, those are the magical moments where we watch our kids' imaginations come alive with endless possibilities. Scottish author and illustrator Jan Hannah taps into those treasured times with this quaint and quirky account of one kitten's valiant efforts to reclaim her smile with the help of forest creatures and their wacky and wonderful Tootle Hooter (bagpipes.) Fun and fanciful, this terrific little tale of life in the Scottish Highlands is brilliantly brought to life with a series of colourful and comical drawings. And while, admittedly, I do miss those magical moments, I am not ready to be a grandfather just quite yet.

~ SPC

Stour Valley Publishing 32 pp / £7.99