A snowman book? In summer? Are you crazy?

Well look, if Olaf from Frozen can do it, why not nudge that carrot-nosed pretender aside and read all about a far more awesome fellow.

In "Albi Learns to Swim" by Mikko Kunnas and Markus Majaluoma, we reacquaint ourselves with a brilliant character who proves that snowmen aren't just for Christmas.

We utterly adored "Albi Visits the Dentist" back in December last year, and we're super-excited about this sunny summery follow-up.

Albi and his friends are off to the beach for their holidays, packing everything they can think of for an amazing day out.

Albi isn't just any ordinary everyday snowman though, and despite the hot sunshine and warm seas, he manages not to melt (finding a rather novel place to cool down!) but also helps lots of other folk at the beach to have the very best day possible. He's lovely like that, is Albi.

As with "Albi Visits the Dentist" this book once again combines a brilliantly entertaining (and beautifully translated) story with the most gorgeous painterly illustrations (and a great little cameo moment from the previous book. See if you can spot Albi's black-bristled toothbrush in one particular scene).

It's Albi's love of life that shines forth from every page like the brightest ray of sunshine. Littlies will adore it so don't save this one for Christmas, enjoy a snowy sunny summery time right now instead!

Sum this book up in a sentence: Another brilliant tale from Mikko and Markus, and more awesomeness from Albi.

"Albi Learns to Swim" by Mikko Kunnass and Markus Majaluoma is out now, published by Pikku Publishing (very kindly supplied for review). 

Day 20 of our Booky Advent Calendar and a really brilliant little book that once again shows just how amazing Pikku's catalogue of titles really are.

"Albi visits the Dentist" by Mikko Kunnas and Markus Majaluoma is the hugely original story of a snowman who has the most amazing coal-black smile.

He's such a happy chap that everyone in his home town smiles at Albi whenever they see him

Albi is off to the dentist. He always brushes his teeth and is pretty sure he's going to get a clean bill of health. But the dentist takes a dim view of Albi's black toothy-pegs - and decides to swap them out for bright gleaming white ones.

But poor Albi doesn't quite feel the same. No one smiles at Albi any more. Can you guess why?

This is such a lovely little book, so brilliantly illustrated and though the story sounds pretty simple, it's so wonderfully written that kids will demand this again and again, and Albi is such a great character (though in some scenes his supporting cast of adorable little characters steal the show a bit!)

"Albi visits the Dentist" by Mikko Kunnas and Markus Majaluoma is out now, published by Pikku Publishing (kindly supplied for review).