Bunny vs Monkey Year 1 (The Phoenix Presents Series) by Jamie Smart (David Fickling Books)

For quite some time we've been clamouring for The Phoenix to do an annual but we'll settle for their latest plan for world domination instead. "The Phoenix Presents" series is a collection of some of the best strips from the mighty Phoenix Comic, lovingly bound and collected together to consume in one huge splurge-fest.

Charlotte is a huge Phoenix fan (even recently using the comic as the basis for her friday morning "Show and Tell" at school, which apparently went very well and met with lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" from her class - which is what we LOVE to hear!)

From the deep dark woods to the outer reaches of space. Bunny vs Monkey knows no bounds!

One of Charlotte's favourite strips is "Bunny vs Monkey" which is actually quite difficult to describe really. The frenetic talents of Jamie Smart, kid's comic genius and contributor to some of the best-loved comics on the planet (including, of course, The Phoenix) poured into a strip that's one part "Animal Farm" to ten parts "Rambo", whizzed up in a liquidiser until chaos ensues.

Collecting together "Year One" in the lives of the strange woodland animals, such as Bunny, Monkey, Metal Steve, Pig and Action Beaver (!), the strip has always been hilarious and quite, quite mad.

In the grand tradition of the greatest British comic strips, Jamie's characters are always ending up in the stickiest of situations (mostly through their own bizarre agendas). Kids absolutely soak up anything that successfully spins together abject naughtiness and grossness, Bunny vs Monkey does that in spades.

"Choooom" is a word I'm going to try and work into every meeting today...!

If you're playing catchup and have yet to experience the sheer delight of Phoenix Friday, when your very own copy of the comic drops through your door clad in the best mailing envelope ever - here's a chance to get in on the ground floor, grab a collection of the very best Bunny vs Monkey, and get set for its glorious return to the weekly mag soon. How on earth Jamie Smart finds the time to do all this stuff beats the heck out of me, but we're so glad he does!

"Bunny vs Monkey - Year 1" by Jamie Smart is available from the fabulous Phoenix Online Store. Go geddit!

Charlotte is secretly in love with Metal Steve but thinks he might spurn her affection for not being 'metal' enough.

Daddy's Favourite bit: Frantic, crazed, chaotic, fabulous and funny as heck. We LOVE it!

(Kindly sent to us for review by David Fickling Books)