The themes of loss and love are richly illustrated and sympathetically explored for younger readers and, of course, that last acorn is the seed for a happy ending.

The little evergreen is cold and lonely without him and is very sad when the Old Oak doesn’t reawaken in spring.

When autumn comes and the birds fly off to Africa, the Old Oak gets tired and falls asleep as the last acorn falls from him.

Have hankies at the ready for The Lonely Tree, an evergreen seedling welcomed to the New Forest by the wise and friendly Old Oak. Great for five to seven-year-olds, and something of a return to form for Ahlberg. Others liked the easy, conversational style and repetition in the text. A name adds character to the sausage, but giving names to the French fries (Fifi, of course) and the peas seemed a little too much. Some children didn’t like the fact that there were too many names. Banjo Cannon, a “usual sort of boy”, eats a sausage for his dinner every day (“yes, every day”) until one sausage (whose name is Melvin) leaps off the plate and runs away, leading Banjo, the furniture, crockery, carrots and fries on a merry chase, quirkily illustrated in “naive” style by Bruce Ingman. More eating in Alan Ahlberg’s The Runaway Dinner, with echoes of The Gingerbread Man. Some younger readers, such as six-year-old Owen, might understand the spy code but miss the “00” references, but Owen loved the way it ended with a bedtime feast. Kes Gray has written a story of everyday make-believe which benefits enormously from Nick Sharratt’s perfectly judged illustrations. My review copy came complete with a false moustache which I dutifully donned. “the crunchy cream biscuits and lemonade will be meeting under the big yellow duvet when the clock strikes 12”. To her annoyance, Tiptoes the cat and best friend Gabby don’t “get” it and Daisy is very fed up until Agent 0021 and a Bit (aka Dad) gives her his own coded message: With false moustache (felt tip), shades and a secret spy telephone (mum’s hairbrush), Daisy becomes secret agent 006 and a Bit. Psst! “The ostriches will be swimming in tomato sauce this evening.” That’s Daisy’s spy code for “chicken nuggets and ketchup for tea, please”. Kevin Harcombe selects appealing picture books Secret agents, runaway dinners and the return of a flat-out favourite. Halliday Books pound 12.99, pbk Pounds 7.99įLY, PIGEON, FLY! By John Henderson and Julia Donaldson.

The lonely tree by nicholas halliday