Celebrating 30 years of Kipper the Dog with a special edition of "The Blue Balloon" by Mick Inkpen (Hodder Children's Books)

We both remember how much fun we have had with Mick Inkpen's fantastic "Kipper" stories as C's reading journey has continued. Looking back on Mick's first successful children's book "The Blue Balloon" it seems almost impossible that this book is 30 years old. It still feels so fresh, simple and brilliant now as it must have back then.

This story is the very first appearance of Kipper the Dog who went on to massive success in many followup titles and even an animated TV series.

This is a fabulous tale celebrating the imagination of a child whose dog finds a soggy blue balloon in the garden.

A soggy balloon? That doesn't sound like the basis for an adventuresome and joyous story but this is no ordinary balloon. This is a magic balloon that takes the boy and his dog on a magical journey of daydreamy imagination and fun.

With Mick's trademark glorious illustrations, this is the sort of book that's going to win over a whole new generation of Kipper fans, as well as pleasing those of us who may have missed this one first time around.

Sum this book up in a sentence: As fresh and brilliant now as it was 30 years ago, a defining moment in Mick Inkpen's successful children's writing and illustrating career and one we're very happy to see back in print.

"The Blue Balloon" by Mick Inkpen is out now, published by Hodder Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).