Three cheeky and endearing little owls make Christmas truly special in our Booky Advent Calendar book for Day 20. 5 more sleeps to go but let's find out just how busy these three little owls are.

These amazing mums lay an egg each before jetting off on an incredible journey all around the world, carrying with them a wicker basket to gather up treasures and amazing things to eat to help the poor folk of the village celebrate christmas in style.

Translated by John Yeoman from the late Emanuele Luzzati's fantastic original story, the book is given even more of a magical touch by Quentin Blake, who lends his trademark illustrative style to this wonderfully flowing story to really help it come alive.

It's that rare thing - a Christmassy book that isn't actually that Christmassy, it doesn't ram the festive season down your throat, but delivers a lovely message of hope with three truly fab little characters full of fun and energy.

"Three Little Owls" by Emanuele Luzzati, John Yeoman and Quentin Blake is out now, published by Tate Publishing (Kindly supplied for review). 

In my head, I imagine Quentin Blake's day starting off with some loud music as he leaps out of bed, has some Heath-Robinson-esque contraption that dresses him, delivers his breakfast, brushes his teeth then deposits him in front of his drawing board fizzing with imagination and ready for action. I've seen the legendary illustrator hard at work at his drawing board and know none of this happens - but in my imagination he is as crazed, frenetic and energetic as his illustrations are.

Teaming up with John Yeoman, who has put together another brilliant story along the lines of the brilliant "Rumbelow's Dance" (also with Quentin Blake), once again it's all we can do to keep our bums still in our seats as we read the tale of the wild, wild washerwomen.

Seven lovely washerwomen work for a mean and stingy employer. Day in, day out they take in huge piles of grubby socks, smelly smalls, pongy pyjamas and filthy frocks to wash, clean and iron only for the whole process to begin again the next day.

The washerwomen are a lovely lot but soon get tired of their employer increasing their workload and soon they rebel. Squishing the nasty old meanie under a huge pile of filthy washing, the women make good their escape in a goat cart and start to wreak havoc in the local community.

"LOOK OUT! THE WILD WASHERWOMEN ARE COMING!" shout the townsfolk as the magnificent seven run amok.

But seven hunky and brawny woodcutters have a plan to scupper the wild washerwomen's crazed antics. Do they succeed?

You'll have to read the book to find out of course, but if you haven't come across Yeoman and Blake's brilliant books together, this is undeniably a scrumptious treat. We loved the wild washerwomen (see if you can guess which one Charlotte nominated herself as!) and can't wait for more from this extremely talented duo.

Charlotte's best bit: The Wild Washerwomen going crazy in the local marketplace. EEK!

Daddy's best bit: What the Wild Washerwomen do to their employer and the nasty man with a gun. Serves them both right!

A busy, fizzing whizz-bang of a book that has nothing to do with shonky 80s electrical goods retailers, "Rumbelow's Dance" is proof positive that Quentin Blake's energetic scribbly drawings can turn just about any children's book into an instant classic.

The man behind the fantastic illustrations of Roald Dahl's timeless children's books is on top form. The story, about a young boy named Rumbelow who cheers up travellers making their way to market by encouraging them to "dance, dance, dance to market" is the children's literary equivalent of a good bum-wiggling tune. It's so easy to get caught up with the rhythm of the story and it's a real joy to see how children react to Rumbelow's effervescence.

John Yeoman's rhyming text bounces as much as Blake's drawings, to make a really pleasing little book discovery nestling amongst the shelves in Abingdon's extremely well stocked library.

Charlotte's best bit: The flower lady ("She's me" said Charlotte).

Daddy's favourite bit: Blake's flowing, scribbly but absolutely perfect drawing skills.