Gonzalo Grabs the Good Life by Janice Levy and Bill Slavin (W.B Eerdmans Publishing)

You know how it is. One day you're pecking around in the dirt, crowing every morning to earn a crust. The next you win the lottery, so it's bye bye farmyard, bye bye farmer, and hello glitz and glamour.

Gonzalo, the sassy rooster departs his dreary day job with a sharp peck on his owner's bottom as he departs for the good life. Purchasing a mansion in Miami, a yacht, and splurging all day and night on candy, Gonzalo hasn't a care in the world.

That is, until the money runs out. Soon Gonzalo finds that money can't buy everything, particularly not happiness - so he packs his bags, and becomes a church singer (as you do when you're down at heel after a life on the tiles).

But will Gonzalo ever return to the farm he once called home?

This is a lovely little book that's a huge amount of fun - and children will love Gonzalo who is a bit of a sharp character but with his heart firmly in the right place.

With a hint of tex-mex about it, and some fabulous artwork from Bill Slavin, it's a rare find but is thankfully still in print so if you're on the hunt for a fairly short but sweet and very different book that doesn't peck you on the bum too hard with its moral message, meet Gonzalo!

Charlotte's best bit: Gonzalo's bare-faced cheek at the end of the book (and the poor character he displaces!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: Something a little different that worked its way into our library stack but has become a bit of a favourite over the last few weeks. Gonzalo has plenty of sass and originality. Very cool!