Miffy and the New Baby by Dick Bruna (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

Miffy is such a timeless and enduring character that we feel sure that most of our followers and readers must have at least one Miffy book (or piece of merchandise) tucked away at home somewhere. I remember Miffy books being hugely popular in the library when I was a wee infant. They're still as popular today with Charlotte's generation - Show anyone (boy or girl) in her class a picture of Miffy and they'll instantly know who it is!

Miffy and the New Baby is a newly reprinted and re-released version of Dick Bruna's classic. In this tale, Miffy's mum and dad have an announcement. Miffy is about to get a new brother or sister.

(Charlotte always interrupts on the first couple of pages of this book to point out that Miffy's mum and dad are eerily alike!)

Miffy's mummy gets bigger and bigger, and one day (rather calmy, I thought) announces that the baby is on its way, and it's time to go to the hospital (she's obviously never seen "One Born Every Minute" where such a statement would not be politely whispered, more hollered from the rooftop accompanied by a load roaring).

Miffy meets her new baby sibling and gets to hold baby, and so begins another chapter in her life.

The genius of Dick Bruna's enduring tales is that they're simple, no-nonsense but always familiar to children reading them - who will encounter Miffy's situations in their own lives.

We're building up quite a Miffy collection at home and Charlotte still loves them, even though she's probably a bit old for them now. We'll keep them so perhaps one day she can pass them on to her own little bunnies.

Charlotte's best bit: Always the bit where Miffy's Mum and Dad gather at the start of the book for the important news

Daddy's Favourite bit: Timeless and enduring. Dick Bruna was a genius way ahead of his time, and it's testament to how great these books are that children still love them so much to this day.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Simon and Schuster Children's Books)