CHILDREN’S book of the week

THE PUFFIN KEEPER

by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Benji Davies, Puffin, hardback £12.99, ebook £8.99 ★★★★ ★ WHILE this picture book can be enjoyed by children as the story of a lifetime friendship between a boy and a lighthouse keeper, adults can also see it as an allegory for the birth of Puffin Books, celebrating its 80th birthday this year.

Benjamin Postlethwaite is the keeper on Puffin Island; he saves the lives of passengers on a boat wrecked during a storm, including five-year-old Allen Williams and his widowed mother.

Years later, Allen finds the world much changed by war – so seeks solace with Ben and the host of puffins who have made the island their own.

This charming and clever book emphasises the power of kindness and allowing things to flourish in the right way.

Whether you read it on face value or examine the subtext, it tells you about the value of writing and reading stories – something you want a child to take to heart.