My Penguin Osbert In Love by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel and Buck Lewis (Walker Books)

How far would you go to make your best friend happy? Joe would go to the end of the earth to make his best friend Osbert the happiest penguin on the planet - and he proves it too when he nips out in his helicopter just before Teatime to take Osbert on a whirlwind tour of the South Pole. Osbert wants to visit the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle of the Southern Lights, so naturally Joe rises to the challenge.

Osbert loves the lights and along with all his penguin pals from the Zoo they have a fine time. But soon Osbert isn't looking to the skies any more. Something even more beautiful catches his eye. A lovely lady penguin. Oh no Joe, Osbert is in LOVE!

This is a touching little story dealing with the subject of friendship and (awww) first love in a rather novel way. We've missed the previous Osbert book but this is so beautifully told and illustrated that we'll have to track it down. Once again the blog seems to be drowning in books dealing with the various nuances of friendship and what happens when friendship is put to the test. When they're as good as this though, we don't mind reading them.

Charlotte's best bit: The lady penguin - she's so CUTE!

Daddy's favourite bit: I think all kids should have access to their own helicopter!