ReadItDaddy's Picture Book of the Week - Week Ending 12th January 2018 - "The Last Chip" by Duncan Beedie (Templar Publishing)

Oh goodness me, picture books once again have the power to completely break our resolve not to be big crybabies with this beautifullty heartfelt tale from Duncan Beedie. "The Last Chip" is our first Picture Book of the Week this week...
Meet Percy. Now, we're definitely not what you could describe as "Pigeon lovers" by any stretch of the imagination (their cooing early mornings in the spring drives us absolutely batty at home) but you just can't help but fall for Percy as soon as you meet him.

He's such a tiny little fellah, and every morning he dutifully turns up at the train station ready to peck up any crumbs that commuters might drop on their way to work.

The big problem (or should we say BIG FEATHERY PROBLEMS) come in the form of a gang of unruly pigeons who always greedily bundle in every time there's any food around. They squeeze poor Percy out (one in particular made us cackle, a rather ornery looking pigeon with those horrible missing / stumpy feet you sometimes see pigeons in London hobbling around on - EEKS!)

Glorious, gorgeous book this.

Soon the tiny little pidge realises he needs to look further afield for his grub. He tries the park, but the ducks are nasty and don't like anyone muscling in on their pond / birdseed racket.

He flies as far as the coast. Poor Percy doesn't even find any grub there as nasty piratical seagulls are having none of this landlubber trying to peck up their fish-and-chip suppers!

We lolled at the stall names here. Another utterly beautiful spread.

So what will Percy do? Weak, starving and absolutely exhausted he sadly heads back to the city - and finds an unexpected friend and thankfully finally gets to share supper with someone who gives him their last chip, even though they're down on their luck themselves.

Oh it was that bit - it just had us blubbing like babies. Such a gorgeous warm message and if you're not bawling by the end of this book, you have no heart. I think this is Duncan's best work yet (certainly the illustrations are luxuriously gorgeous, I mean just LOOK at them!) - But C pointed out that we're not allowed to like this more than "The Bear Who Stared" (it's very, VERY close though!)

Worth noting that some of the proceeds of this book will be donated to The Trussell Trust - a very worthy cause that fits beautifully with the book's core message and story. What a lovely gesture and just one more reason why you need this book in your life.

C's best bit: The evil stump-footed pigeon who stalks the railway station. Eeesh!

Daddy's favourite bit: A beautiful message, utterly amazing and gorgeous illustrations, the tender warm heart of a truly lovely story and yes, we did blub. Wonderful work, Duncan!

"The Last Chip" by Duncan Beedie is out now, published by Templar (kindly supplied for review).