A Deal's a Deal by Stephanie Blake (Gecko Press)

Some children's authors have an innate understanding of what can make a child dissolve into a fit of snortles, giggles and sniggers. Stephanie Blake definitely has that particular Jedi mind power down pat - her books have exactly this effect on children (particularly Charlotte) and in her latest book, "A Deal's a Deal" we once again meet slightly cheeky hero Simon the Super-Rabbit.

This time Simon's pooing super-powers are on hold. Instead we see Simon and his best friend indulging in a spot of that favourite childhood pastime, swapping.

Simon has a rather near trio of coloured cars. Ferdinand has a bright red (but plastic, instantly inferior) car. Simon rather likes the red car but isn't sure it's worth three of his favourite cars. Ferdinand definitely likes the look of Simon's three cars but has to call on his powers of persuasion to seal the deal.

Ferdinand is what we refer to in the children's book trade as "a thoroughly bad egg" and Simon, lamentably, discovers all too late that the red car isn't (or should that be is) all it's cracked up to be. But there's no going back - after all, a deal's a deal, to take it back is to steal!

Stephanie's delightful and rib-tickling story has a wonderful pay off at the end (which, naturally, we're not going to spoil for you!) Charlotte loved the payoff and I rather loved the memories this invoked of feverish negotiations in the playground when I was a kid (I think I was stupid enough to once swap a packet of Monster Munch for a Matchbox car - well I WAS hungry and packets of Monster Munch were quite substantial back then!)

"A Deal's a Deal" by Stephanie Blake is out on November 1st (Gecko Press)


Charlotte's best bit: Simon wins the day, in quite a disgusting way!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Swapping! Ah the memories!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Gecko Press)