Mr Pegg's post by Elena Topouzoglou

New Frontier Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925594195
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Post, Letters, Loneliness, Lighthouses, Greece. For many children this story will have new ideas for them to absorb, as Anna lives in a remote lighthouse, so remote that the only communication with her friends is via the post. Mr Pegg the pelican postman delivers the letters around the island and the lighthouse, and although there are sometimes letters for her parents there are none for her. She feels very lonely.
One day during a particularly ferocious storm she hears a thump at the door. Mr Pegg, buffeted by the heavy winds has landed awkwardly, hurting his wing, letters spread all over the place. Anna helps him, fixing his wing with a sling, and offers to help him deliver his letters until he gets better.
Over the next few days and weeks she rows Mr Pegg to his delivery points, meeting the people whose letters she delivers. She makes new friends and is very sad when Mr Pegg's wing gets better. But a surprise is in store for her as Mr Pegg gives her a postie's hat and a pile of letters from her friends.
This is a delightful story of loneliness and finding new friends. Younger readers will enjoy learning about the post and how it is delivered, perhaps using the opportunity to write their own letters to see how it is done, or watch out for the postman, or visit a post office.
Watercolour images give a wonderful impression of living by the sea, the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean lapping at the cliffs on which the lighthouse sits. London based, Elena's Greek roots surface in her wonderful illustrations.
For more information about Elena visit her website and there I was amazed to find that she worked for ten years as a visual effects compositor, working on two of my favourite films, Paddington Bear and Hugo.
Fran Knight