ReadItDaddy's Booky Advent Calendar Dec 2nd: The Beano Annual 2014 - 75 years of Beano Brilliance! (DC Thomson)

I'm old school, I still believe there's no better present to unwrap than an annual and when I was a wee whippersnapper, I always wanted the Dandy or The Beano.

It's absolutely brilliant to see The Beano still going strong after 75 years and in The Beano Annual 2014, it's even more awesome to see comic strips I knew and loved as a kid being brought back so that a whole new audience can enjoy them. Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger, Lord Snooty and the superbly strong Pansy Potter once again rub shoulders with our old favourites Dennis the Menace, The Bash Street Kids and the ever-hungry 3 Bears in strips that will have you chortling and sniggering way past boxing day.

It was so great to see Charlotte sneaking off to read this annual on her own. I'd introduced her to classic fun comics like The Beano and The Dandy but this was the first time she'd had something of her own to dive into - in a format that is a great way to introduce kids to comics (so many modern comics could benefit from doing annuals. Phoenix, are you listening?)

Every strip is a hoot, every new artist and of course all the old classic artists can still cut it and can still make these brilliant characters stand out and shine. It has been so fabulous to dive back into the Beano, and I've a feeling we'll be back for more with the regular weekly comics too.


Charlotte's best bit: Minnie the Minx and the strip where she 'helps' Dad be on time for work (really hope this hasn't given her any ideas!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: I have always loved The Numskulls and they're still as ace as ever they were!

(Kindly sent to us for review by D.C. Thomson & Co)