Grumbug

Oliver's best friend is a troll, and together they run a cafe in the woods, where trolls come to eat Oliver's delicious cakes, instead of children. But when his little sister Dolly goes missing one day, Oliver and Troll must head to Munch Mountain to find her before Grumbug, the biggest hungriest troll of all, can eat her! Oliver is confident that all the tales of Grumbug are exaggerations, but the reader can see that the pictures tell a different story. Eventually Oliver realises that the tales were true and makes a swift exit from the moutain. But Oliver also has the wisdom to know the reason behind Grumbug's hostility and comes up with the perfect solution for a happy ending. Illustrated in a soft palate, the pages are full of details for readers to spot, although more sensitive children may find the trolls a bit unsettling, especially a couple of pages with close up illustrations. The text is presented in a variety of ways, with some rhyming text and some speech bubbles. The choice of type is unusual and could be tricky for older readers to tackle independently, especially with some text in capitals, but adults will be able to share the story with them and there is plenty to talk about when sharing this book with young readers. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Lucy Russell, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+