This week's Indie-Pen Dance Wednesday book is such a lyrical delight to read aloud that we're getting quite carried away with how beautifully it reads.

"Stunt Crow" is the story of - yep you've guessed it - a crow, but if you've ever seen a bird more aerobatic than Stunt Crow in a children's book, we'd sure like to hear about it.

David Freedman's book, delightfully and beautifully illustrated by Mike Kelly, regales us with the tale of one plucky bird who is the master of the skies, with a cheeky sense of fun and the ability to soar and whirl like a dervish.

Not many birds are crazy enough to take on a fox! Swoop!

No one is safe from Stunt Crow's aerial attacks, certainly not poor Fox who is divebombed. But when a new antagonist shows up, even Stunt Crow might have to watch out - Eagles are not to be trifled with.

Beautiful prose that whirls and wheels just like Stunt Crow himself, and a story that layers excitement and tension right up to a brilliant finale and a showdown with Eagle, Stunt Crow really is a superbly satisfying book. Children have a huge capacity for appreciating stories that are not stilted and stuttered, but flow like this and Stunt Crow truly is a rare treat that Charlotte really enjoyed. She also enjoyed the rather fabulous Origami crow that came with the book too!

You can obtain David's book from the Stunt Crow website via this link

How lovely is this origami crow, sent by the author!

Charlotte's best bit: Stunt Crow divebombing Fox and making her run for cover!

Daddy's Favourite bit: I loved that opening line, five crows coughed from the branches of a tree by the wind.
Beeee-eautiful!

(Kindly sent to us for review by David Freedman)

Welcome to today's Indie Pen-Dance slot, and we've a real treat in store with a look at an eye-catching and imaginative book from a supremely talented artist and writer.
Michelle Vinall's "256 Postcards Ago" is a dreamy voyage through a child's imagination, turning the ordinary everyday world into a scintillating and exciting dreamscape.

256 Postcards Ago. (Image © Michelle Vinall)

With his best friends in tow, the amazing Anubis-like Ludo, the fluffy cloud-like elephantine Ollie and a cute green bug called Digit, a young boy called Nicholas embarks on a quest to touch the stars.

Presented in sumptuous illustrated spreads with rhyming couplets, the story really caught our eye and reminded us why we love dipping into self-published books so much.

Michelle has woven a world that simultaneously feels both dream-like and familiar. Though at times some of the rhymes are tricky to read aloud and don't quite 'flow', the story doesn't suffer for that at all - in fact keeping the word count to a minimum has the double benefit of allowing Michelle's visuals to do the talking, and means that children can more directly engage with the tale, weaving their own stories around it as Ludo, Ollie, Digit and the boy make their way through the sleepy seaside town.

Time for a race through the town! (Image © Michelle Vinall)

"256 Postcards Ago" is available from Michelle's Website - http://www.hurricane-lane.com 

Tweet Michelle on Twitter! @256ChimeLane
Please stop by Michelle's inspirational website for more of her glorious artwork and stories.

Charlotte's best bit: Ludo, the Anubis-like character who is effortlessly graceful, leaping across rooftops

Daddy's Favourite bit: Glorious artwork, and a story showing that even the everyday and mundane can be turned into an adventure, if you only let your imagination off the leash for a while

(Very kindly sent to us for review by Michelle Vinall)