Measle and the Wrathmonk

Normally when presented with a celebrity's children's book the heart sinks - but Ian 'The Saint' Ogilvy's first novel for children is a triumph, a hugely inventive Dahl-esque adventure in which the pace never flags and the reader's attention never allowed to waver. Measle is a miserable, mistreated orphan living with his thoroughly unpleasant, decidedly strange guardian Basil Tramplebone. When Measle dares to play with his uncle's fabulous model railway his life becomes even worse: Basil shrinks him to the size of one of the tiny figures on the model - and leaves him as a treat for his pet bat. But Measle finds other miniaturised human victims of Tramplebone's anger on the model and, with a resourcefulness and courage he never knew he had, leads them in a desperate battle against bat, Basil - and finally Basil in the form of a giant cockroach. Mould's illustrations and even the glorious day-glo plastic cover add to the book's irresistible appeal.