Another recurring theme is moving on and growing up (again, both The Wizard of Oz and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have similar themes). Fidge grows up by moving away from her scepticism and moody nature towards Minnie’s stories; Minnie however also grows up a lot in this story! Towards the end of the book, Fidge asks Minnie “oh where’s Wed Wabbit” and she replies saying that he was staying behind today in the bedroom to ‘tidy up’. Fidge just smiles and thinks ‘that happens, things change’, which shows both how she has matured AND how children mature naturally and we only need to accept that. So I really appreciated all of the above: references to other literature, lots of subtext, and the openness to different interpretation. I love this book not just for its fearless heroine but because it touches on that universal truth – that occasionally children yearn for a world that is bigger, and more exciting, than the tiny protected environment they’re boarded up in. Plus its really, really funny.

Lissa Evans, author of the hilarious Wed Wabbit (shortlisted for the Costa and Blue Peter book awards), shares her top tips for funny writing – whatever your age. Ella and Dr Carrot — and indeed Wed Wabbit —have quite distinctive ways of speaking, what does it tell you about their personalities? Yellow are timid, Blue are strong, Grey are wise and rarely wrong. Green are daring, Pink give cuddles, Orange are silly and get in muddles. Purple Wimblies understand The past and future of our land.”

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I think we should give Lissa Evans a round of applause *claps with everyone else and bows for reading the book* Illustration from Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak This book is a must for adults and children, and whilst incredibly funny, also carries a deep message about how differences must be embraced and celebrated. In places, it did move me to tears. While occasionally sending up modern psychology (“I can’t survive a storm without my transitional object,” says Graham about a toy), Evans does a fine job of demonstrating how to get the best out of yourself and others, comedy slicing through any sentimentality like lemon. Great characters are the engine of comedy, and there are some memorable ones here. Over-the-top, theatrical Ella, toy elephant and life coach, is encouraging, promoting teamwork and openness to new possibilities. Dr Carrot, a giant plastic vegetable on wheels, belongs to Fidge’s cousin, who feels frightened much of the time. At one point Graham asks: ‘“What if I die?”’ Dr Carrot replies: ‘”What if you live?”

Lissa Evans’s latest novel is properly funny. And like the four-year-old owner of the eponymous toy rabbit, Minnie (short for Minerva), who can’t pronounce her r’s, this book is also deceptively wise. Small Change for Stuart, Evans’s first children’s novel, was shortlisted for the Carnegie medal and the Costa children’s book award. One can imagine the elevator pitch for this new story: Alice in Wonderland meets Pixar’s Inside Out, perhaps, with a dash of Animal Farm, bearing in mind the animal dictator who has taken over Evans’s fantasy kingdom. Wed Wabbit belongs to a proud tradition of children’s fiction that uses fantasy and humour to convey complex and difficult ideas in a form that delights.

Lissa Evans is a great storyteller and the book is very funny as well as reminding us of the importance of celebrating and valuing the differences which make us all special and unique. Full of humour, Wed Wabbit would also make a wonderful read aloud story for enjoying and sharing. Frank Cottrell Boyce on why reading for pleasure is the most important thing you can pass on to a child Children’s publishing is starting with a bang this year with the release of Lissa Evans’s latest children’s novel, a riotously funny adventure tale called Wed Wabbit. The story, ideal for readers aged 8-12, is about a girl called Fidge (short for Iphigenia), who lives with her dippy mother and four-year-old little sister Minnie. Minnie is obsessed with her furry red toy rabbit (the eponymous Wed Wabbit) and a picture book about the Wimbley Woos (an odd group of multicoloured creatures who speak only in verse), and the importance of these strange characters becomes more apparent as the plot progresses.

It was just TOO funny to resist laughter crawling up your throat. The way that Minne says things is hilarious, it's obviously in the name of the book that a 3year-old said that. Graham...*shakes head and grins* A very paranoid, awful cousin-of Fidge- he wont even eat toast, he doesn't like cold water, he hates rain and even cars! But through the story and exciting adventure he changed dramatically. Speaking of Fidge, the daring, reasonable girl, the main character. It was such an ordinary evening, but every detail of it would matter; every detail would become vital. Now imagine you’re reading a line that’s obviously supposed to be funny, but it doesn’t make you laugh. THE WRITER HAS FAILED. I would recommend this for 10 year olds and up, but does it look appealing for that age group? Nope. ;)

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The beginning was so depressing! Fidge was arguing with her little sister Minnie, the father is dead, Minnie gets run over by a car and ends up in a hospital... (And by the way, it's Fidge's fault. At least kind of.) But it’s us who can’t thank you enough/We know that your journey’s been rough/For such a brave fight/Your talents were right/You’re clever and stubborn and tough.” After an accident involving her younger sister, Minerva (known as Minnie), Iphigenia (also known as Fidge) finds herself plunged into the land of the Wimbley Woos accompanied by her annoying cousin, Graham, Dr Carrot (a human-sized plastic carrot mounted on small orange wheels) and Eleanor, a purple cloth elephant in a pink skirt. A dangerous dictator - Wed Wabbit - has taken over the land and is draining it of all colour and hope. Fidge must solve a series of almost impossible clues to make her way home and put everything right again. Will she be able to work things out in time? Durrell brilliantly injects absurdity into a stagnant life and shows the magic that can happen (whether the hero is up for it or not.) I love books where the characters are reluctant to deal with what’s happening to them, and in a way Adrian Rookwhistle is like a precursor to my unwilling heroine, Sorrel. (Although there are no elephants in Bloom, which I now realise is a mistake.) 3. The Borrowers, Mary Norton (Puffin) Illustration from Gorilla by Anthony Browne One Christmas Wish by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Emily Sutton