"Once I was Loved" by Belinda Landsberry (EK Books)

Here's a book that reminded us both of several things, but manages to stand on its own two feet as an original and entertaining story for younger children.

"Once I was Loved" by Belinda Landsberry plays out across one child's life as seen through the eyes of a much loved and old toy rabbit.

Just like that scene in Toy Story 2 where Jessie sings a plaintive song about once being a favourite toy, the rabbit finds himself being donated in a charity box and muses on what life was like way back when he was loved so much by his owners.

Tock the Rabbit remembers his first owner Sam, and the act of kindness where she passed Tock to a poor boy in an iron lung. The boy recovers, and Tock is mislaid - ending up the favourite toy of Max during the swinging heyday of the 1950s.

When Max grows up he passes raggedy Tock to his son Toby...and so the story continues until right at the very end there's a rather touching reunion that will tug at your heartstrings.



This book was sent to us entirely unsolicited, and if we're honest it's a bit too 'young' for us, but definitely something a younger child would enjoy very much, something of an old fashioned tale that harks back to traditional old children's picture books of yore.

"Once, I was Loved" by Belinda Landsberry is out now, published by EK Books (kindly sent for review).