ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week Ending 19th June 2015 - "Sir Lilypad" by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

I love it when I come home from work to find Charlotte and Mummy completely wrapped up in a book. I had a sneaky suspicion that they might absolutely love this one, and I was right...!

Not the most comfortable place to read a book but they just couldn't wait!

Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie's "The Worst Princess" was one of our favourite books and deservedly became a Book of the Week, with 5 out of 5 stars back when we used to pop a score on the end of reviews. It's still a book that is regularly read at bedtimes even though Charlotte admits herself that she's not "into princesses any more".

Why? Purely because the book's central character Princess Sue is just SO our kind of girl. She's not one of these fussy madams who mopes around in a tower all day in pretty dresses, waiting for a handsome Prince to turn up. She has a thirst for adventure! Read through our review to find out more.

But hark, what light from yonder window breaks? It's a semi-sequel to that fabulous book but Princess Sue is not the star - a tiny diddy brave little Frog called Sir Lilypad is the central character in this book of the same name. Sir Lilypad isn't content to hang around the pond croaking and eating flies. Sir Lilypad might be tiny, but once he reads a few adventure stories, he rather fancies becoming a brave knight - rescuing princesses from nefarious foes (perhaps with the promise of a peck on the cheek as a reward!)

Finding Princesses isn't that easy when you're tiddly though. Fighting big nasty creatures isn't easy either, so despite Sir Lilypad's brave attempts at rescuing princesses, most of the creatures he meets aren't in the princess kidnapping business any more (my particular favourite, the kindly old Troll who takes to gardening rather than snaffling maidens fair! We also giggled at the rather grumpy old wizard (who has a very cool line in starry purple underpants!)

Sir Lilypad's quest seems doomed until a certain gigantic orange dragon and a certain yellow converse-wearing princess are discovered. Sir Lilypad bravely strides into battle to rescue Princess Pauline from the dragon, not knowing that the two are friends. So even his latest attempt at bravery meets with failure. Poor Sir Lilypad.

But you know Princess Sue, she's such a wonderful gal that she takes pity on Sir Lilypad and recruits him for her roaming band of heroes, putting ne'er do wells in their place as they scour the land for miscreants! Hooray!

This book is SO BRILLIANT and it's destined to become every bit as popular as "The Worst Princess". There are so many moments (particularly once Princess Sue and her gorgeous dragon friend turn up) that it was a bit unfair to pose the question to Charlotte and Mummy: "So which is better? "The Worst Princess" or "Sir Lilypad"....

"The Worst Princess" edged it by a nose, a very very slim margin but we had to make this book of the week too, it is the perfect example of exactly the sort of heroic action-filled story that works beautifully, looks drop-dead gorgeous and tickles your funnybones too.

Charlotte's best bit: When Princess Sue shows up, a huge cheer from Charlotte (and a rather avaricious glance at Princess P's chocolate cake laid out for her picnic. NOM!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Picture books truly don't get any better than this. It's fun, it's exciting, has a fabulous cast of characters (Sir Lilypad is fab!). A truly imaginative and brilliant story from a dynamic duo who can't put a foot wrong when it comes to putting together the most original fairy tales possible.

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

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