Books that celebrate books themselves, and storytelling too are always amongst our favourites. When authors and artists celebrate the very thing that they're tightly involved in and passionate about, you can feel the love emanating from every page like the warm glow of a radiator on a chilly night.
That's probably a very good way to describe the warm glow from "The Tickety Tale Teller" by Maureen Haselhurst and Barbara Vagnozzi.
The Tickety Tale Teller lives in my ideal home - a huge tall tower absolutely crammed from top to bottom with lots of lovely books.
The local townsfolk thrill to her stories, and each night before bedtime they hang a flag out of their window to request a visit from this very busy young lady.
Soon though, there are so many folk wanting stories that the Tickety Tale Teller feels rushed off her dainty feet and tries to think of new ways to reach her audience (sounds familiar!)
How about a hot air balloon and a loud hailer? Not ideal when little ones are trying to sleep!
Finally she comes up with the perfect plan. Surely everyone can tell stories, can't they?
This is a truly lovely book, utterly beautifully illustrated and conveying perfectly the very thing that keeps us blogging about books - that passionate evangelism about the printed (and drawn) word.
Charlotte's best bit: The Tickety Tale Teller's beautiful balloon (we'd love a ride in it!)
Daddy's favourite bit: The Tickety Tale Teller's towering lighthouse-like home. I want to live there.