The Pumpkin Thief

Squirrel has grown some lovely pumpkins, with only a little help from Bird, and he is extremely pleased with himself. Then they start to vanish, one by one. Baffled and more than a bit indignant, Squirrel sets out to catch the culprit before Bird comes back. Alice Hemming's fussy, lovable hero is in fine form in this autumn outing, and Nicola Slater's pictures make every flicker of worry and outrage on his face a joke in itself.

This is the latest Squirrel and Bird story, following The Leaf Thief, The Flower Thief, The Snow Thief and The Sun Thief, and a non-fiction spread at the back adds a handful of facts to talk over once the mystery is solved. A cosy, giggly read-aloud for small children who like their autumn afternoons with a bit of suspense and a lot of laughing.