Bibble and the Bubbles by Alice Hemming and Sara Sanchez (Maverick Books)

Bubble blowing is always a huge amount of fun. We blow bubbles on sunny days, watching those rainbow coloured bubbles float up into the ether. We also love blowing bubbles in the bath because they bubbles stay around a bit longer in the steam, floating on the surface of the water.

Bobby loves bubbles, but as he blows them and watches them float silently away on the wind, he doesn't realise that 667 million miles away, a tiny alien called Bibble loves Bobby's bubbles too, as they float around his home planet bouncing, floating and popping.

But one day the bubbles stop. Bibble is at a complete loss, and there's only one thing to do. Constructing a spaceship entirely from bubbles, Bibble sets off on the long treacherous 667 million mile journey to earth to find out what's happened.

This is really lovely storytelling, putting a rather neat bubbletastic twist on a tale of an unlikely friendship. Bobby and Bibble become firm friends, and it's quite sad when Bibble gets homesick and has to fly back to his home planet at the end of the tale - but leaving one last surprise behind (we'll let you discover what that is!)

Reminiscent of the heartwarming stories by Oliver Jeffers, with a really wonderful bubbly atmosphere to the story and glowingly gorgeous illustrations, this is a real treat for the eyes and a real treat for the ears when read aloud (and it's quite a tongue-twister in places too!)

Charlotte's best bit: Bibble's amazing spaceship made entirely from bubbles

Daddy's Favourite bit: A really wonderful and touching story of an unlikely friendship that bubbles along beautifully. Love it!

(Kindly sent to us by Maverick Books)