The best present ever by Zoe Foster Blake. Illus. by Lucinda Gifford

Imaginations will soar as this book is read to younger children or read by those more proficient at reading for themselves. What to give a friend for a present is the task, and some hilarious options are perused which are shot down with imaginative flair by something quite extraordinary. An almost toothless smile greets the reader as the child tells us that they are making the best present ever.

Wonder filled illustrations colourfully fill each page as the imaginings of the narrator explode. Many words are in large print and brightly coloured, prompting readers to try them out for themselves.

At first the idea develops around a magical creature. But which one to choose? A dragon, pixie or unicorn, but just as the decision is made, a wicked witch comes by and with one magical word, Zap, causes everything to disappear. On to the next idea: a swimming pool full of candy! Sounds great but a gang of possums comes in the night and gobbles them all up. Next idea! A baby animal farm. What could go wrong? A heap of baby animals are shown in all their cuteness, but just as the narrator is set to pay for the animals, a baby goat eats all their money. But never mind, another idea is in the offing.

And so it goes on until an idea occurs that is neither outrageous, nor unattainable, one that will appeal to us all. But getting there is a barrel of laughs as the increasingly mad ideas take root across each page. The text uses different fonts, and highlights longer words, and is nestled inspiringly amongst the hilarious illustrations.

Lots of ideas float across each page: a huge trampoline, hundreds of ice cream filled balloons, an amusement park, a trip to the moon, a transforming scooter just for a start. Kids’ imaginations will ignite as they read of some fo the zany ideas and perhaps think about how cool they would be, and come up with their own preposterous ideas.

A glittering cover will encourage kids to pick up the book, and they will find it just as luminous inside as the ideas come thick and fast, supported by bright, vivacious illustrations.

Themes: Presents, Gifts, Imagination, Humour.

Fran Knight