Everything about this book is magical. I simply don’t know where to start! First the images, they are captivating, beautiful line drawings which remind you of Quentin Blake’s work with Roald Dahl. They are fun and have lovely handwritten text with them, helping the imagination of your children to build worlds from images and words. There is a casual grace to each that makes them fun.

Now for the story. It’s fully thought out, a unique world that children and adults can enjoy. These are great stories that begin the process of children learning to read alone with confidence. It opens with a wizard making beer, and arguing with it, which is adorable. This slightly haphazard character is Tucklebinnie and his somewhat chaotic journey is the one follow, on the way we meet so many interesting characters. We meet friendly animals and gnomes and Flugglebirds and treacle mining. Who doesn’t love treacle mining?

And this is the beauty of this story, it touches so many of the older stories our children don’t know or hear about because of modern ‘noise’. This book bridges a gap, using imagination to create fully formed unique characters, animals and things, and giving them a wonderful world in which to exist. It’s beautifully written and flows with the skill of a true storyteller.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Tucklebinnie is best of what a children’s author can create and this story is one that will live in your child’s imagination for many years after they have moved on to Narnia, Harry Potter and Tolkien.