The Secret Path (A Percy the Park Keeper Story)

Another fantastic tale from one of my favourite children's authors. The Secret Path is again another huge success from this world famous author, with humorous but heart-warming tale of love, compassion and friendship from the Percy the Park Keeper series. The Secret Path tells of Percy deciding to tidy the Maze in the Park. He sets off with his wheel barrow, taking a large roll of string with him so he doesn't get lost. The animals of the park are intrigued by what Percy is up to and decide to secretly follow him. Whilst Percy sets to work on the maze bushes, the animals make their way to the centre to surprise Percy, but instead they fall asleep and Percy is the one to trick the animals. Laughing, they all decide to head home, but there is just one problem - the squirrel was holding the large ball of string...'I've wound it all up for you'. The ending of this tale is the biggest surprise of all - a large four-page pull-out of the maze for children to find Percy's way out. My children were so excited to find this maze and spent so much time revisiting the various routes Percy and the animals could take. Not only is this story an engaging tale full of excitement and fun, the illustrations truly bring this tale to life. The Park animals are so animated, they look almost human and it is easy for young children to follow the story based on the images alone. The artistry is bright, colourful and beautifully hand drawn, my children took great delight in picking out all the little details in the images. For me, this collection of stories brings home a real nostalgia of my own childhood and I am thrilled to be able to share these stories with my own children. 30 years of Percy the Park Keeper and it is not hard to see why these stories have become loved across the Globe. Perfect for parents and teachers alike, this story is an absolute must for every book shelf. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Joanna Hewish, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+