SUMMARY

Maisie the Animal Minder is a series of picture books and a website about a little girl and her mum who travel around the country in a red camper van called Cherry, looking after animals and houses whilst the owners are away. The books are based on the author's real-life experiences and some contain educational information on geography (there is a map in the front of every book) and information on breeds and types of animals. The website supports the books and includes downloadable colouring sheets amongst other things.

My six-year-old and I reviewed 'Cassie and the Ducks' and 'Fergus and the Deer'. These two stories have been published to date and there are many others in the pipeline.

PUBLISHER: Spiderwize

AGE RANGE: 2-7 years

COST: £6.99

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY RATINGS

EASE OF USE

The book was easy to read and it was a good length for my daughter (not too long, not too short). My three-year-old joined in to look at the pictures as there is lots for little ones to spot in the illustrations: for example, spot the cats that appear on most pages. The website was also easy to use and you can order the books from it.

DURABILITY

These books seem timeless to me. The stories are wholesome and funny; they belong to a simple, innocent world and are delightful for children to read or listen to. I can imagine passing these onto my grandchildren if they aren't too dog-eared by that stage!

VISUAL APPEAL

Good size and really beautifully illustrated. The drawings are colourful, describe the story well and are really funny. The books are perfect size, not too big or small. They would fit well in a neat set, although the title wasn't on the spine on our copies, so they could be hard to locate when stacked up in a bookshelf.

COST EFFICIENCY

The books retail at £6.99. A percentage of the profit goes to an animal-related charity; a different charity for each book. The books are currently available through Amazon and seem fairly priced.

ORIGINALITY

Very original. I have never seen stories like these and because the books are based on real-life events, they are all the more charming. They offer something different for adults too. I find that I don't get bored if they are requested for a few days on the trot!

OVERALL RATING

I would really recommend these books as something different. If you like traditional stories and your child loves animals, this is a good set to read. The website adds to the concept and means that you can purchase them easily. My daughter often asks for these stories at bedtime and we look forward to collecting the whole set!

For more info go to www.maisietheanimalminder.com or read the author's blog.