For this week's Chapter Book of the Week, I thought I'd let Charlotte type up her thoughts, as she's been thoroughly absorbed in this one since picking it up during Ross's recent visit to her school for World Book Day.

So without further ado, here's Charlotte's thoughts on the sublime "Christmas Dinner of Souls" by Ross Montgomery (with cover art by David Litchfield).

This book is about a boy called Lewis. 

This week's Chapter Book of the Week sees Swapna and Sheena maintain their iron grip on our funny bones.

Oh the cackles of glee, oh the hoots of laughter. Oh the sheer deliciousness of the return of Dave Pigeon and his hapless sidekick Skipper in a tale that pays a nod to something I was PROPERLY obsessed with as a kid. More about that later though...

So "Dave Pigeon: Royal Coo" by Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey dropped onto our doormat with nary a royal fanfare (we do keep asking our postie to bugle his arrival but so far all we get is a disgruntled "Hmmph!")

This time Dave and Skipper are taking in the sights, sounds and..er..smells of London.

Dave comes up with the idea of visiting Buckingham Palace just in case the queen has thrown out a few truffle offcuts or caviar vol-au-vents but while pecking around the gates of the royal residence they meet Prince Raju Pigeon, one of the Queen's personal birds from the Royal Lofts.

Raju isn't quite what Dave and Skipper expected, in fact Raju craves an ordinary life outside Buck House. The sort of life Dave and Skipper lead, in fact - and a plan is born. Dave and Raju swap places in a superb nod to "The Prince and the Pauper". Needless to say, Dave is no shy retiring wallflower about his new royal status, and it soon goes to his head. What will happen when Raju fetches up to resume his post as royal pigeon fave? Clue: It might involve flossing and biscuits!

Speaking of The Prince and the Pauper, does anyone remember the 1970s TV series? Can you remember who played the Prince? Here's a clue from the book adaptation that went with the series. Recognise that handsome plonker?


(Hahhahahaha! Brill!)

Once again Swapna and Sheena have taken Dave and Skipper on a superbly funny adventure that is full of giggles, but also a rather nicely subtle tongue-in-cheek dig or two at 'posh folk' and being fairly happy with your lot in life. We love these books a lot, and really hope that there'll be a few more!

Sum this book up in a sentence: A superb 'pigeon out of water' tale with some ace class jokes and crazy mishaps, possibly our favourite "Dave" book yet!

"Dave Pigeon: Royal Coo" by Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey is out now, published by Faber and Faber (kindly supplied for review)

Our Chapter Book of the Week sees the glorious return of our favourite feathered friend and his trusty sidekick. Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey are back with "Dave Pigeon (Racer!)"

Once again it's been a sheer delight to hear C cackling like a drain every 5 seconds while reading a book.

This time, we catch up with Dave and Skipper, who are uprooted from their nice comfy abode with "The Human Lady".

Stuffed into a shoebox (not the best place to be when your best friend is a big fat pigeon with stinky feet who isn't averse to a bit of 'pigeon-spreading') Dave and Skipper are off to the Pawsville Vets for some much needed medical attention for poor Dave's broken wing. At least that's what they thought...

Instead, the two find themselves living in a pet shop instead, with some very odd characters indeed.

There's Jet the Dog - who is a bit too energetic for such a small space.

Cricket Ball Face the Hamster. You'll have to read the book to find out quite why the poor mite has such an unfortunate (yet fitting) nickname.

Worst of all is Mickey Lightning, a worthy adversary indeed - and one who Dave soon finds himself drawn into a crazy challenge with. Dave firmly believes he can somehow turn his slightly podgy over-fed body into that of a prime racing pigeon - speedy enough to take on Mickey Lightning in a race for fortune and glory (or at least a lion's share of the scoff at dinner time!)

There's one slight obstacle in the way of Dave's imagined glory though and despite a lot of help from friends old and new, Dave's situation seems hopeless. It's just not going to be easy for a rotund feathery fellah to transform into a sleek racing machine!

I think we both felt a bit guilty from christmas over-indulgence reading this one, and definitely felt distinctly Dave-like after one too many Quality Street sessions. So this is not only brilliantly timed, it's once again the perfect combination of pant-wettingly funny storytelling, hilarious and characterful artwork and a durned good read to boot! Thoroughly recommended!

"Dave Pigeon (Racer!)" by Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey is out now, published by Faber and Faber (kindly supplied for review)

Our Chapter Book of the Week is an award-winning anthology of incredible stories from across the globe, of people who have pushed themselves to the very limits of human endurance in some of the harshest environment on the planet...

Stretching our fledgeling comic-reading feathers into Book of the Week territory, we're nudging aside chapter books for a third BOTW -  a stunning graphic novel for older readers...

This week's chapter book of the week comes with a huge glee-filled "YESS!" Dave is back!

Becoming a parent was life changing, no doubt about it. I'd never shown much interest in having kids but wondered if I would if the right person came along...

It's not often we recommend books to you that are purposely designed to send you to sleep, but that's just how "Dozy Bear and the Secret of Sleep" will hopefully make your little ones feel.

Do you love books that make your mouth water, your tummy tremble in anticipation, that make you dribble like a bloodhound catching scent?

We do! We're foodies, so of course we're going to love any book that celebrates the fine art of sarnie construction - as seen in this case from the perspective of an adorable little girl who offers to make daddy a snack while he zombs out in front of the footie.

We already know that Pip has a talent for the mildly chaotic, we've loved her "Squishy McFluff" books very much. So what happens when she lets a little girl loose in the kitchen?

The little girl knows all of daddy's favourite things and the sandwich starts out normally - but daddy loves his phone, he loves his camera, and of course he loves the little girl herself - so all of daddy's favourite things should end up nestled between two slices of bread, covered in ketchup, surely?

You can imagine the effect this wonderful story has on your little ones as it slowly unfolds, with each new 'ingredient' added to the teetering tottering sandwich stack. Won't daddy get a bellyful when he chomps down!

Hilarious and adorable stuff in equal measure!

"Daddy's Sandwich" is released today, 7th May 2015 by Faber and Faber. Plenty of time to add this to your shopping list in time for Father's Day!

Charlotte's best bit: What a joyous and chaotic mess we end up in at the end of this book!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A crazy and chaotic culinary crusade by a cute and adorable little girl. Wonderful! Now where did I put my phone....?

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

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The Giant Jam Sandwich by Janet Burroway and John Lord

We loved "The Hog in the Fog" very much indeed - in fact if you peek inside the cover of this, the second book in the "Harry and Lil" series, you'll see a recommendation from us! Fame at last!

But you know what? We loved this second book even more - Harry the Hog and Candystripe Lil (the most adorable shrew ever!) are back for a second adventure - this time centred around a very restless night for our bristly buddy Harry.

There's a strange noise going on, and poor Harry is a tiny bit scared. Luckily his best friend Candystripe Lil sees this as a great opportunity to offer her friend some comfort, and stop by for a sleepover too. Tucked up in bed, the two can hear the gentle breeze but the night is also full of odd noises as nocturnal creatures come out to play. Who can we find snuffling around the forest at night? Who sings a gentle lullaby down by the pond as dusk falls?

There are stories that are perfectly put together for snuggledown bedtime reading and "The Hog, The Shrew and the Hullabaloo" is just such a book. Wonderful pitch-perfect rhymes and adorable detailed illustrations not only make us want to read about Harry and Lil's world, and their adventures, I think we'd quite like a holiday there too (but we'd definitely take Lil's cue and pack some earplugs!)

Charlotte's best bit: Charlotte loves the rhymes and adores picking out all the tiny little details in the illustrations (we loved Harry's Tennis-ball-topped curtain rails!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: Snuggly, cuddly, pretty much perfect!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

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The Hog in the Fog by Julia Copus and Eunyoung Seo (Faber and Faber)

Oh well I never, how we do love this book! Paying homage to T.S. Eliot's meisterwork "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", Arthur Robins produces a marvellous moggy-filled book celebrating what we cat lovers already know - that cats are feline tricksters, capable of the most amazing feats of derring-do!

We've previously met "Macavity the Mystery Cat" from Faber and Faber and here's the second book in their series drawing on T.S. Eliot's awesome poems and presenting them for a whole new audience.

As much as we loved Macavity, "Mister Mistoffelees" is definitely our favourite as he uses his own peculiar forms of moggy magic to slink from the shadows, making food items disappear, or sliding his way through seemingly impenetrable doors moving effortlessly amongst humans mostly unseen.

This is a lyrical journey through poems that some children may already know from the musical "Cats" but will definitely appreciate here, reproduced in a truly fabulous way.

Charlotte's best bit: Demanding this again as soon as I reached the last page (I really need to find my copy of the original "Old Possums"!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: A classic poem brought bang up to date for a whole new appreciative audience. Immensely good fun to read out loud, has there ever been a book so clever?

Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

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Macavity the Mystery Cat by T.S. Eliot and Arthur Robins (Faber and Faber)

Kids are naturally drawn to characters in books who - to put no finer point on it - get away with being very VERY naughty indeed! Vicariously, kids love 'living' a character that can do as they please, particularly when they take a child in the story along for the ride.

We've seen this as one of the key factors that pirate books are so successful. Pirates run around all day nabbing treasure, drinking (non alcoholic) vegetable drinks and generally getting up to no good.

We have been delighted by the exploits of Squishy McFluff and his 'innocent' owner Ava. Whenever Squishy is around, chaos ensues and Ava haplessly stands by as events unfold. Of course, parents knowingly nod and wink at these brilliant stories, identifying the very factor that Pip and Ella have observed so well.

But the factor is the root of the first question Charlotte asked about Squishy McFluff. "Is he real, daddy?" - and there you have to pause as a dutiful parent, wink, and say "What do you think?"

"Squishy McFluff - Supermarket Sweep" is the second outing for the daring and mischievous invisible cat (do check out our review of "Squishy McFluff The Invisible Cat" from earlier in the year). Ava and Squishy are having fun in the garden until Mum drops a bombshell. It's time to visit the supermarket, AGHHHH!

Now, at this point in the story we smiled a little as we know only too well what a supermarket trip means with Charlotte in tow. When we could pop her into a trolley it wasn't so bad, but now she insists on steering the trolley (into everything and anyone who gets in the way) and that's even before we start hunting for things to feed her with!

Pip and Ella have perfectly reproduced shopping hell. Ava thinks she's managed to wriggle out of the trip by feigning a mystery illness for Squishy, but Mum seizes on this opportunity to ask Ava to leave Squishy tucked up at home, hopefully heading off any potential supermarket shenanigans before Squishy and Ava have a chance to hatch any plans.

Loading Ava into the car, Mum doesn't realise that Squishy the Invisible and not-really-ill-at-all cat has sneaked in too, and it doesn't take long for Ava and Squishy to render the car immobile by flicking all the switches and pressing all the buttons.

A few (seething) hours later, poor mum manages to get the plans back on track and off to the supermarket they go. Surely Ava and Squishy will have worn themselves out a little. Perhaps not, as true chaos unfolds amongst the stacked tins and vegetable racks as Ava and Squishy have their very own ideas about what should go in the trolley. Out with the health foods, in with the ring donuts, lollipops and sherbet dippers! YAY!

We'll leave the story there, because you're going to love the rest and we don't want to spoil it for you. We think Ava's exasperated mum deserves a medal (or at least the phone number of an invisible cat neutering service!) and though we normally love cats very much, we're definitely not sure we'd ever give Squishy house room. There's huge potential for more books in this fabulous series (hint hint Pip and Ella) and Charlotte absolutely could not get enough of Squishy and Ava's misbehaviours (hey that almost rhymes, whoah!)

As rip-snortingly brilliant as the first book and we truly can't wait for more! Lovely work Pip and Ella!

Charlotte's best bit: She loves Squishy, which is worrying because I'm really not sure we could find house room for such a naughty invisible pet!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Chock full of subversive snort-inducing behaviour from Squishy and Ava, with so many things that'll make parents wryly nod in agreement (and probably grin a lot too!) We love Squishy, come back soon!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

Oh well I never! Here's a fantastic new book celebrating the wonderful feline creations of one T.S Eliot. In the 75th Anniversary year of T.S Eliot's masterful "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" we find out a little bit more about the most mysterious, the most charming, and the most devious cat of all. Macavity, Macavity - He doth defyeth gravity!

You'd expect great rhymes from Mr Eliot - and Arthur Robins' brilliant wobbly illustrations bring Macavity to life. No fish dish is safe from this devious master criminal, and the best noses in Scotland Yard can never track him down because - as they arrive on the scene, Macavity isn't there!

Charlotte soaked this book up like a hungry sponge, enthusiastically joining in on every turn of the page where the sneaky Macavity outwits his foes to triumph again and again.

What a magical marvellous Macavity he is!

"Macavity the Mystery Cat" is released on 1st May 2014 from Faber and Faber.

Charlotte's best bit: Macavity's many admirers! Purr!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Such a joy to read aloud, and such a fun frolicsome celebration of everything feline!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

There seem to be an awful lot of books hitting our review schedule at the moment that deal with a fairly sensitive subject - imaginary friends. I had one as a kid called Pooki, and like the little girl, Ava, in this book, Pooki was more a good way of getting into (and excusing my way out of) mischief than being a perfect pet or companion.

Ava discovers Squishy McFluff one day in the vegetable patch, and instantly takes a liking to the invisible kitty (sensibly always shown as a mysterious transparent moggy). Ava goes everywhere with Squishy. He's extremely easy to look after (as invisible cats are - not as demanding as their real-life counterparts, for sure!) and at first Squishy is welcome at home. But then things go awry. Squishy is not beyond a bit of mischievous behaviour and soon Squishy starts to cause havoc, and Ava is always very quick to point out that Squishy is to blame - not her!

It takes a rather understanding and dapper 100 year old, Great Grandad Bill, to point out to Ava that Squishy should learn to comport himself as an elegant feline not a moggy miscreant. After all, it's not very cat-like to draw on walls with felt tips, or trash the house on a regular basis.

Charlotte is beginning to demand heftier literary fare and Squishy McFluff joins the ranks of early chapter readers that she's really taken to like a duck to water (or indeed, an invisible cat to an invisible plate of invisible tuna). The format (largely illustrated with plenty of interesting text) is nicely sized and Charlotte loves sneaking off with the book to read bits on her own (and laugh out loud at Squishy's rather naughty antics).

Dealing with a delicate subject isn't easy, this book not only manages to intricately describe Ava's imaginary friendship but also it lovingly pays tribute to our elders too. Great Grandad Bill (whose real-life counterpart receives a well-deserved dedication at the start of the book) is wise and level headed. Not too shabby for a centenarian.

What a gorgeous and thoroughly entertaining book, truly!

Charlotte's best bit: Of course, it has to be the bit where Mum thinks she's stroking Squishy's ears when really she's lovingly stroking his bum (Charlotte read the book before I could sit down and read it with her and I could hear her delighted cackle of laughter right from the other end of the house!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: A very nice treatment on the "imaginary friend" - sensitively and delicately told, and marvellous to read out loud thanks to tight and flowing rhymes. So glad to see that the next book, "Supermarket Sweep" is on the way.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)

Take a smidgeon of "The Gruffalo", add a tiny pinch of "Foggy Foggy Forest" and some truly charming artwork, and you're half way towards imagining how great "Hog in the Fog" is. With the perfect pairing of a rather bristly but loveable wild boar (hog) called Harry and a cute and winsome shrew called Candy-Stripe Lil (who has a penchant for pink and white striped clothing), you're ready for adventure as the mists swirl one day.

Lil has laid on a rather scrumptious spread for tea, and has invited Harry round. Delicious delicacies await (Nice squishy and crunchy slugs anyone?) but Harry is unfashionably late. Soon Lil realises that she ought to go and see where her bristly chum has got to.

The fog descends silently, and it soon looks like poor Harry is lost in it somewhere. Thankfully Lil meets lots of animals who seem to have seen...something in the fog, but it doesn't sound much like Harry the Hog.

(I hadn't intended to write this review in rhyme, it just seems to happen - from time to time).

There's a trick to reading this one to Charlotte. She demands that it's read in slightly hushed tones, with that flat funereal near-silent whisper that lends itself so well to a foggy foggy day. So we snuggled up under a blanket and read it just so.

A lovely story, and Eunyong Seo's artwork is truly beautiful. Really hoping to see more of Harry and Candy-Stripe Lil very soon!

(Edit: Candy-Stripe Lil is of course a shrew not a mouse! Hence the cute nose. Thank you Julia for pointing that out, we're happy to correct).

Charlotte's best bit: A teatime spread fit for a hungry hog and a matronly shrew. Fabulous!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A rather lovely story that demands to be read somewhere cosy. Preferably while armed with a mug of hot chocolate. Scrummy!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Faber and Faber)