Fletcher and the Stars

With its flowery endpapers and 'This book belongs to' page, young children will be captured by the smudgy double-page spread watercolour illustrations by Tiphanie Beeke which are full of vitality and sparkle. They follow the self-important fox's antics as he bumbles and tumbles about through the woods and meadows and meets other creatures with his scare-mongering spring snowfall announcement, so that they will also appreciate the running joke which the animals reveal to their daft know-it-all companion. All of these elements make Fletcher and the Springtime Blossom a lively page turner. The cumulative tale, a reminder of the traditional Chicken Licken story, brings Fox, Hedgehog, Squirrel and some Doves together – shouldn't they be Swallows? – to solve the mystery of the late 'snow', whilst highlighting regular spring and autumn animal behaviours. Julia Rawlinson tells the story in a read-aloud text full of rhyme, alliteration, repetition and onomatopoeic vocabulary which listeners will love and which positively encourage joining in. This sturdy and handsome hardback picture book for preschoolers is one of a series of four featuring Fletcher the fox throughout the seasons, first published in 2009. Watch out for the other titles: Fletcher and the Summer Show, Fletcher and the Falling Leaves and Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas. -- Lorna Herbert Egan @ www.gwales.com