Foxy and Egg by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Aha! So this is how it all began! We've been thrilling to the exploits of one Foxy Dubois, arch-sneak and vivacious plotter and we always wondered how this foxy sneak-thief ended up with such an unusual sidekick.

As fans of the "Foxy Tales" books will know, Alphonso the Alligator is Foxy's ever-hungry 'assistant' and Foxy constantly tries to think up new and devious ways to get rid of the scaly rotter.

But what's the backstory here? Alex reveals all in a timely reprint of the very first foxy tale - "Foxy and Egg".

Starting off with a lovely noir hat-tip, Foxy discovers an egg on her doorstep. Foxy likes eggs, in fact Foxy will eat just about everything chicken-based, so she invites this strange spotty egg inside for tea and an evening's soiree with nefarious plans of frying, scrambling and poaching in mind.

What a skinny little egg really needs is a good feed, a little music and a warm comfortable bed for the night. Foxy obliges, and has the most delicious eggy dreams (complete with toasty soldiers).

Meanwhile the egg grows, and grows, and grows! Perfecto!

Foxy doesn't quite realise at this point that there's not a chicken inside, but a big smelly hungry warty Alligator so hilarity ensues when eventually the egg cracks open and out pops Alphonso.

Charlotte has an opinion on the Foxy books. "Foxy isn't very nice!" she boldly claims. "I like Alphonso best!"

HERESY!!

I swear though, if Alex's next book doesn't involve some sort of humorous homage to The Great British Bake Off we'll feel royally cheated. His Twitter commentary on the programme is better than the dry wit voiceovers on "Come Dine with Me" and then some :)

Charlotte's best bit: Foxy trying to make good her escape in a rather smashing looking car!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Rib-tickling stuff from Alex, so good to see this reprinted!

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