ReadItDaddy's Second Picture Book(s) of the Week - Week Ending 5th October 2018: "Tales from the Hidden Valley: 'The Artists' and 'Hello Mr Cold'" by Andres Porta (Flying Eye Books)

This week's double-header Book of the Week winners kick off a gorgeous series from Carles Porta. Welcome to the Hidden Valley!
It was completely impossible for us to choose between the first two books in Carles Porta's "Tales from the Hidden Valley" series, purely because they're both so good. So we thoroughly recommend picking up both as soon as you can toddle off on your little legs to your local book store, they really are good.

So let's take a look at "The Artists" first, as it's Book 1 in the series (not that it matters, you can dip into the books in any order but hey, we're sticklers for numbers).

The first book introduces the weird, wild and wonderful characters that inhabit the hidden valley.

Meet Yula, Reindeer, the rabbits and Sara in the perfect book to usher in Autumn. Each of Carles' books are seasonally themed so what better way to celebrate our own favourite season than with a bit of artistic inspiration.

Everyone in the Hidden Valley wants to join in, creating amazing works of art inspired by the things around them but Reindeer (who, we feel we should point out, really doesn't look anything like a reindeer - more like an onion-headed version of Tooticky from The Moomins) is the most artistic of all.

Then Autumn gives way to Winter (which we also love as a season, something snuggly about wrapping up warm and drinking hot chocolate - which, as I type this review, seems completely unimaginable!).

"Hello Mr Cold" sees the titular character drop into the Hidden Vallet completely by mistake, bringing a cold chill to the air and of course plenty of frost and snow.

Maximus Cold has fallen into the valley, completely by mistake. Everyone thinks he's a strange, trumpet-playing monster who has kidnapped their wolf friend Yula!

One can only hope that the gang of friends, including the rabbits, Reindeer, the pixie onion-headed ballerina, and Yula's best friend Sara can save the day with some trumpeting of their own. 

Dive into Carles Porta's elaborate world of enchanting, snowy forests and mysterious music and meet all the charming creatures of the Valley along the way.

The stories are surreal, completely enchanting and beautifully illustrated. It would be utterly impossible for anyone to match the sheer creativity and imagination of Tove Jansson and her glorious Moomins characters but Carles' stories are definitely cut from similar cloth, and are completely disarming and charming. 

"The Artists" and "Hello Mister Cold" by Carles Porta are both available now in Hardback, from Flying Eye Books (kindly supplied for review).