ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week Ending 5th June 2015 - "Grumbug" by Adam Stower (Templar Publishing)

We did a little dance of glee when we first heard that one of our favourite children's books was getting a sequel. Remember Troll? Remember Oliver? They're back in "Grumbug" and this time they've got a new cohort too.

"Grumbug" - released just yesterday (4th June) is Adam's fantastic follow-up to "Troll and the Oliver", a book that was very well received by us (and also earned us our very first back-of-the-book quote - a very proud moment indeed!)

This time, Oliver's teeny tiny sister Dolly has joined "Trolli and Olli" (or "Oliba!" as Dolly delightedly calls her big bro). Troll and Oliver have set up a cake shop in the middle of the deep dark woods. Not just any cake shop, but a cake shop specially for Trolls. Trolls usually like eating children you see, but children taste disgusting (as we found out in "Troll and the Oliver") so cake is a far better (and far more lucrative) way of keeping trolls happy and well fed.

Dolly is visiting the boys at work but a teeny tiny toddler can swiftly get into huge colossal trouble as Dolly wanders off - in the direction of (dramatic pause, orchestral burst, drum roll) MUNCH MOUNTAIN!

Munch Mountain is every bit as scary as it sounds, mainly because the biggest, meanest, grumpiest and hungriest troll lives there, the terribly terrifying Grumbug! He's so big he can chow down on rocks, drink entire rives, crush forests and he loves nothing better than eating ten dozen kids for brekkie - even tiny ones like Dolly!

There's nothing for it. Oliver embarks on a mission to rescue his sister. Will any of the troll customers of his cafe come and help?

Nope. Just Oliver's bestest cake-obsessed blue troll friend.

If you think the story sounds mind-bendingly exciting so far, we're going to let you discover just what happens when Troll and Oliver dash off in search of Dolly in this utterly brilliant sequel. I have no idea why we didn't make "Troll and the Oliver" book of the week originally (particularly since Templar very kindly gave us our first ever back-of-cover quote for the paperback version - which we're still tickled pink about! I suspect grumpy draws Charlotte opted for something else instead) but we both wholeheartedly voted for "Grumbug" to be our book of the week this week, it's dazzlingly brilliant cakey monstery toddlery fun!

I just loved reading it aloud (I kept the same slightly grumpy troll voice for Troll - though he doesn't actually speak in the book which calls for some creative ad-libbing to underline his fantastic expressions, a squeaky voice for Oliver, and even squeakier voice for Dolly as well as a whole host of new voices for the other trolls in the story).

Love the rhymes which are fun and singsong as with the original, and love the fact that once again Adam expertly throws in a twist or two that'll keep storytellers and their avid audience on their toes!

We're wondering where the recipe for triple treacle delights is though? Too secret to share? Perhaps you'll find it on the fantastic Troll and Oliver Cafe Blog!

Charlotte's best bit: She loved the "old trolls" in the book, they look so CUTE and she loved the way Dolly called Oliver "Oliba!"

Daddy's Favourite bit: Wonderful rhymes, gloriously fun illustrations and two (oops, now THREE) of the funniest characters to ever team up in a children's picture book. Hooray for Troll, Oliver and Dolly!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Templar Publishing)

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"Troll and the Oliver" by Adam Stower (Templar Publishing)