These are both additions to popular Graffeg series: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Albert and the Thief
Ian Brown and Eoin Clarke

Things are going missing in Albert’s garden, so the ants report at a special meeting. Accusations are made and dismissed and squabbles break out. Albert suggests the animals search for the missing items and as he’s doing so a voice calls softly to him. It’s a squirrel asking for his help. It’s said squirrel that has apparently been doing the stealing and now regrets so doing. Albert tells him to return each of the items, and apologise to everyone he’s stolen from.

Albert’s friends are somewhat surprised when they see how much stuff Squirrel has amassed

and some of them offer ideas as to how the reformed character can get them all back where he’d found them without anybody knowing. A view of the garden shows that its animal residents are going to have their work cut out to do so.

I especially love the catapult contraption worked by the ant brigade and the horrified expressions on the faces of Albert and his garden friends as they discover the enormity of the task they are about to undertake as the story concludes.

Molly and the Pirate Cave
Malachy Doyle and Andrew Whitson

In this seventh story starring Molly and her island community, She goes against everything her parents have told her when her much loved dog, Gus goes missing. After a sleepless night when the dog still hasn’t been found, she goes into the dangerous Pirate Cave, from where she’s heard a noise. In the pitch dark, she discovers little Bo who was also searching but now is too frightened to move. As she’s giving her friend a reassuring hug, there comes the sound of muffled barking and there in a very narrow part is Gus. Why does the dog refuse to move though? His sense of hearing is more acute than Molly’s and he’s heard the sound of the sea. It’s coming right into the cave. Following Gus’s lead the children scramble up onto a ledge

and then Molly realises that there’s another way out. It’s a place her father once talked about. If they make sufficient noice, there’s a possibility somebody will hear and so as loudly as they can, the three howl at the moon shining away, way above them …

Andrew Whitson’s expressive illustrations capture so well the children’s fear as they attempt to clamber up so the water can’t reach them. There’s an important lesson in the story, one that young listeners will learn along with Molly as they root for her to get safely out of the cave.