Catnip Publishing. ISBN 9781910611180 £5.99
This massively successfully story of Lavinia and Her Magic Ring has been a hit around the world and kept in print since the 70s, but it is the first time it has been available translated into English. The author has been likened to an Italian Roald Dahl and, when accompanied by illustrations by Quentin Blake, children will make the comparison. Suitable for independent readers from the age of 7 the 100-page, easy read story, draws upon influences from fairy tales, Tolkien and king woven into a unique tale centring around children’s love of the funny and rude and in this case poo. Alongside the gross piles and piles of hot steaming, trickling, sticking poo, the author deals lightly with social issues of homelessness and orphans, selfishness and greed, friendship and threat. Its own blurb describes it as “a hilarious modern fairy tale but certainly not for the squeamish!” I think children of both genders will love it, just as an easy to read, silly, turn your stomach, reading for pleasure, storybook.
Jane Macleod
