We've seen a fair few amazing adaptations of "The Legend of Monkey: Journey to the West" and other Monkey chronicles, but none as gorgeous as "Kai and the Monkey King" by Joe Todd-Stanton.

In fact it's almost unfair to describe this as another Monkey chronicle, because it's really the tale of a mighty girl and her adventurous mother who end up with a most difficult quest - to defeat a gigantic monster that intimidates a local village every year.

Kai is restless and feels she's ready for battle, but Mum is far more sensible - and instead of heading straight to the armoury, Mum goes to the library.

Kai doesn't realise that sometimes you need to do a bit more than run into battle, a bit of research is required but she soon becomes restless - and when her mum banishes her to the other side of the library so she can concentrate, Kai discovers a mysterious tome that speaks of the captured Monkey King.

This undefeatable warrior is currently imprisoned, so Kai decides to free him and enlist his help in defeating the gigantic fiery beast.

Monkey is arrogant and full of himself, so eventually Kai realises that perhaps this rather aloof simian might not be that much help after all. Will Kai somehow have to defeat the monster alone, or will someone else leap in and save the day at the last minute?

We've not read previous adventures in Joe's amazing "Brownstone Mythical Collection" but we very much want to, now we've devoured this amazing book. Once again it's clear that Flying Eye / NoBrow not only has a knack for finding the most amazing artistic talent on the planet, but they produce some of the most gorgeous picture books - that stretch the medium to the very limit, truly lovingly produced and crafted.

Sum this book up in a sentence: Again, as with Luke Pearson's "Hilda" series, if you're looking for picture books to bat someone around the head with when they assume that PBs are "for babies", this will do nicely.

"Kai and the Monkey King" by Joe Todd-Stanton is out on 1st October 2019, published by Flying Eye Books / NoBrow Press (kindly supplied for review).

Our Second Book of the Week sees us FINALLY catching up with a colossal talent in children's picture books...

"A Mouse Called Julian" by Joe Todd-Stanton is the sort of picture book that feels like it's been in your collection for donkey's years, oft read and loved to the point where its pages are faded and well-thumbed.

...And yet this is a brand new book, harking back to an era when children's stories weren't always about solving issues or confronting real-world problems, but just about exquisitely crafted storytelling, glorious characters and perhaps a tiny pinch of a moral in there just to add the pepper to the sauce rather than overpowering the whole thing.

We've not seen ANY of Joe's books before, which is something we're absolutely going to rectify now, but "A Mouse Called Julian" was a brilliant introduction. Starting off with a rather timid little mouse who doesn't actually mind a solitary life. Julian has become expert at avoiding other people, which is just the way he likes it as he curls up comfortably in his too-adorable-for-words little hole-home (which is decked out so beautifully, like a scene from "The Borrowers" but with a distinctly mousey feel to it, just lovely!)

Such an adorable little network of homes, and Julian's is well placed to avoid his rather obstructive neighbours

When Julian ventures out into the wide world he's also scurrilous and quick, very good at avoiding the farmer and her dog, or cats that would make a meal of Julian.

But the titular mouse doesn't realise he's being watched...

If there has ever been a more accurate and delightful depiction of a fox in a children's book, we've yet to see it!

A wily fox rather fancies dinner at Julian's place - with Julian being the dish of the day. Luckily for Julian the plan doesn't quite pay off as planned, and after being forced to spend a little time together, Fox and Julian reach something of a mutual agreement that Fox won't scoff Julian if the little mouse can somehow free him from being trapped in Julian's front window.

Here's where there's a shade of "The Mouse and the Lion" but Joe doesn't just adapt that familiar tale, there's an absolutely breathtaking twist as the book draws to a close (which we won't spoil!)

Oh no! Poor Julian!

It was one of those moments in a book that stopped C in her tracks, something she didn't anticipate or see coming when she can usually give me constant side-eyes through the course of a picture book, knowing exactly what's going to happen as the plot unravels.

The surprise is great though - just a tiny piece of a story that works so beautifully at every point. Joe crafts the story so that it's textually minimal, to let those stunning visuals take over and flesh out the story - the mark of a brilliant picture book in our opinion.

What an immensely talented fellow and what a truly gorgeous book.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A book that feels familiar, comfortable, but exquisitely crafted and yet so original and delightful with an absolutely killer twist.

"A Mouse called Julian" by Joe Todd-Stanton is out now, published by Flying Eye Books (kindly supplied for review).