The Something by Rebecca Cobb (Macmillan Children's Books)

We really are having a fantastic book week this week with some of our favourite authors and illustrators contributing to our vast wobbling book stack that's demanding to be read.

We clear the decks for certain folk though, and when a new Rebecca Cobb book arrived, we gave it a proper "ReadItDaddy" whoop and a welcome. We absolutely love her books to pieces.

"The Something" demonstrates something that Rebecca Cobb fans will already know and love her for - Rebecca can effortlessly tap into the sense of a child's imagination, producing books that make their visual and literal senses soar.

In "The Something" a little boy loses his bright red shiny ball down a mysterious hole in the garden. It's too dark to see what's down there, and even his doggy pal can't sniff out what lurks inside.

The boy starts to imagine who (or what) might dwell in this cosy little nook. Could his ball be responsible for mayhem, smashing through breakfast in a mouse's underground house? Could foxes have captured the ball, sweeping it off as their latest plaything? Or could there be something more substantial lurking under there - a troll perhaps, or even a dragon?

We love the way Rebecca's art instantly wins children over, speaking on their level, in their own visual language while we read the story aloud and let their own imaginations fill in the rest.

Rebecca really can't do any wrong by us, and judging by the plaudits heaped on her by some of the biggest names in the book business, we think a lot of other folk find her books absolutely essential too!

Charlotte's best bit: A fantastic cameo appearance by Aunt Amelia (look very carefully for it!) and lots of brilliant touches including a truly satisfying end.

Daddy's Favourite bit: I shouldn't really laugh but the "mouse house" spread was just so gigglesome. Poor mice! What a superb book!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Macmillan Children's Books)