ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week Ending 20th December 2013 - "Aunt Amelia" by Rebecca Cobb (Macmillan Children's Books)

Our final book of the week this year (as we're taking a bit of a blog break over the festive season!) and you can accuse us of favouritism towards Rebecca Cobb if you like, but she's just SO GOOD!

"Aunt Amelia" is instantly eye-catching because of Rebecca's lovely child-friendly artwork, and also because it features a female crocodile character who doesn't want to eat young children all up! Quite the opposite in fact. Aunt Amelia (through some strange family dysfunction) gets to look after two children while mummy and daddy are away.

The children aren't at all keen at first, but soon realise that the huge list of rules and regulations that mummy and daddy leave behind for "auntie" are there to be slightly bent (if not broken to pieces, in fact!)

Each and every illustrated spread comes with one of the rules - but shows Aunt Amelia and the children having fun doing exactly the opposite. Parents might issue a 'tut' of disapproval but we loved the fact that Aunt Amelia is a kindly old soul, and most importantly (for any aunts and uncles watching), pitches in and plays with the children on their level. They get messy, they get dirty (we loved the bit with the mud fight, YES!!) and they eat lots of things that aren't necessarily good for you (Charlotte pointed out that the kids did at least eat some pizza amongst all the sweet treats they devour). They stay up late and have one or two stories before bedtime (one or two dozen, we heartily approve) so when mum and dad come back, the children have had the best time ever and can't wait till Aunt Amelia comes to look after them again.

This is such a brilliant book, full of fun and colour - and Aunt Amelia is such a brilliant character (who reminds us of Charlotte's grandparents!)

We always look forward to what Rebecca will turn her hand to next, and this is brilliantly illustrated and written. A fitting book of the week to end our fabulous 2013 with!

Charlotte's best bit: "The Children can have one ice cream each" - Better make it a big one then!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Fabulous Aunt Amelia, we really would love to see another story with her, she's fab! Can she look after us next?