Molly, Olive and Dexter: Three Best Friends

By Author / Illustrator

Catherine Rayner

Genre

Friends and family

Publisher

Walker Books

ISBN

9781529517569

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

04-04-2024

Synopsis

Meet Molly the hare, Olive the owl and Dexter the fox, stars of a delightful new series for toddlers from Kate Greenaway Medal-winning artist Catherine Rayner.

Molly the hare loves hide-and-seek. "You two hide," she tells Olive the owl and Dexter the fox, and then she begins to count: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - ready or not here I come." But when she opens her eyes, Molly finds the pair straight away! Soon Molly announces Olive and Dexter have to hide properly. Now she has the opposite problem: her friends have hidden too well... Wherever can they be?

This is the first in Catherine Rayner's adorable new picture-book series - delivering the charm of the 100 Acre Wood in an irresistible package for toddlers. "Catherine Rayner has a marvellous gift for capturing the souls of animals in a few, rich washes of colour." Daily Telegraph

Reviews

In Molly, Olive and Dexter: Three Best Friends, we get the privilege of enjoying Catherine Rayner's beautifully hand painted illustrations. You may recognise Catherine Rayner's gorgeous artistic style from The Go-Away Bird written by Julia Donaldson.

Meet the trio of friends; Molly the hare, Olive the owl and Dexter the fox. This book is part of a series of stories about three best friends who play different games together in their oak tree home in the woods. In this story, Molly instructs Olive and Dexter to hide as they embark on her favourite game of hide and seek. Olive and Dexter do the classic move that us as parents have played along with many times as a toddler covers their eyes under the premise that 'If I can't see you then you can't see me'. Molly, however, doesn't find this as endearing as we might and instead is rather disappointed at how easily she finds her friends and so insists that they must hide again - but better this time. And better is exactly what they do…!

The first and final double-page spread in this book consists of the most stunningly layered watercolour painting of the woods where the animals live. The depth of detail in these illustrations really ignite creativity and are a great backdrop to use for children to move little animal figures along as they create their own narratives.

I would also recommend the Soloman Crocodile series from Catherine Rayner which is the next series on my wish list, having had a peep at it in my local bookshop!

Picture book / Reviewed by Jessica Bunney, teacher