Tuesday 4 February 2014

This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye by Richard Byrne (Oxford University Press)


This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye

Written and Illustrated by
Richard Byrne

Published by Oxford University Press

Aye-Ayes have to be one of the weirdest looking creatures you could ever come across. I mean, take a look...!

A baby Aye-Aye - A face only a mother could love!
Despite this, we love them - they're just the right kind of bizarre that crosses over into 'cute' territory. Perhaps that's the reason we enjoyed "This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye" - because it features one of our favourite animals, and also celebrates the wonders of a really good picture book. 

Aye-Aye in the story would love to have his own picture book more than anything else in the world. At nursery, Aye-Aye and his friends always love story time - and one day the teacher decides to run a very special competition. If the children are really helpful and kind all week, they'll get a big surprise and something nice.

Aye-aye secretly hopes he can win the competition - but two rather cute but rather uppity rabbit twins have other ideas. They don't really like aye-aye, and always mock him for his weird looks and erratic behaviour.

As the week progresses, Aye-Aye is a model pupil - helping his friends get changed for PE, helping tidy up the class, and generally being lovely. Meanwhile, the two rabbit twins hatch plans to ensure that they win the competition - the rotten cheats!

Poor Aye-Aye soon realises that someone keeps changing the rules of the competition, scribbled on the blackboard. Can he possibly win, and feature in his very own picture book after all?

Well you'll probably already know the answer to that question but this book is a warm and fuzzy read that doesn't hit you over the head with its moral message. I think it's probably the first time we've ever encountered bunny characters Charlotte takes an instand dislike to in a book!


Charlotte's best bit: Aye-Aye's crazy green eyes! Aieeee!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A lovely tale, we demand more aye-ayes in books!