Pig in Love by Vivian French and Tim Archbold (Evans Brothers ltd)

Here's a quirky and charming little book that's the perfect length for those bedtimes where your little one is practically asleep in your arms (or those bedtimes after preschool when they're so tired they're hyper and driving you up the wall and back again!)

Pig is in love with Piggie, his beautiful neighbour. Despite plenty of wooing, and oohing and ahhing, Piggie won't marry pig because her father has forbidden her to marry "Until pigs can fly" so our heroic pig tries to take to the air.

Does he succeed or fail? Does he win the fair trotter of the piggie maiden?

Of course, you'll have to read the book to find out. Vivian French's rhyming couplets are simple yet perfect, and I swear I had to check the credits of this book about a million times thinking that Tim Archbold is channelling Quentin Blake to the point where I'd SWEAR this book contained Quentin Blake's artwork if I didn't know better.

Regardless, it's a lovely little book. Uncomplicated but wonderfully told and superbly effective.

Charlotte's best bit: The Aliens!

Daddy's favourite bit: I can well imagine telling Charlotte one day that I'll let her get married "And pigs might fly" :)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars