Till Owlyglass

Being so proficient in his one-upmanship does not endear Till to his small village so he leaves home to bother the fish in a bigger pond. I felt rather sorry for his long-suffering mother who is left to her own devices after enduring him for so long. His lies and deceit and his wish to win an ever bigger prize for minimum effort brings him to the attention of the authorities and his well deserved come-uppance...

Michael Rosen has made an engaging retelling of an unfamiliar piece of European folklore. Fritz Wegner's black and white drawings add to the period detail. From the cradle to the grave Till Owlylass is a lesson in how not to waste your life.

And I prefer it to the Berlioz version.

A curiosity to read aloud to those of six years and over.

Also read the likes of Dirty Bertie, some Andy Griffith, Richmal Crompton, or seek out Nicobobinus...