These picture books are both created by author/artists whose work is well loved by young children: thank you to Walker Books for sending them for review.

Molly, Olive & Dexter: The Guessing Game
Catherine Rayner

In the second of this delightful series featuring residents of a garden oak tree, Molly the hare, Olive the owl and fox, Dexter, the friends are playing a guessing game. Dexter thinks of something and it’s immediately guessed by Molly. Her thought is equally easily guessed by her friends and that leaves Olive to be the thinker. “I’m thinking about TWO things at the same time!” she announces.

Young listeners may well have guessed her ‘think’ at this stage but will enjoy following the fun as Molly and Dexter endeavour to work out the answer prompted by Olive’s clues. Even when she practically tells them, the others can’t get the answer right and consequently they get grumpy until at last … the penny drops. Now everyone is happy and it’s time for the three best pals to enjoy a snooze.

Gentle humour and outstanding illustrations make this a gorgeous book to share with the very young.

Tiny Owl’s Scary Day
Petr Horáček

As dawn approaches, Mummy Owl tells Tiny Owl it’s time for sleep. She though pays no heed to this and despite the possibility of encountering scary things, off she ventures to explore what the day has to offer.

Soon other birds start to chase her; she enjoys the fun but feeling tired, she takes rest by some flowers. It’s there that the first scary thing happens, so away she flies.

The river is her next stop but as she stands on a large stone, Tiny Owl is unaware of being watched. ‘Creep Crack Click Clack’, scary moment number two. Time to take to the air again, in search now of a quiet place.

Resting on a branch along with several other birds feels safe but before long comes scary moment number three.

Accepting that her mother was right about the scariness of the day,Tiny Owl decides to head for home but when she reaches her tree, there is no Mummy Owl waiting to welcome her. Yet another scary moment but this time there is no need to worry; it’s Mummy returning. Where has she been to make her so tired? Having recovered from breathlessness, the two owls snuggle up together until the moon comes up, calling them out into the night sky.

Young children will love following Tiny Owl’s adventure with its alarming encounters, dramatically illustrated in Petr Horáček’s striking illustrations.