Tom and Tilly by Jedda Robaard

Black Dog Books, 2013. ISBN 9781 742032 48 1
(Age: Pre-school) Warmly recommended. Pre school. Picture book. Bath time. Delightful water colour illustrations follow the story of Tom having a bath with his bear, Tilly. Tom makes a paper hat and together they sail through the water on an adventure. They take care to avoid pitfalls: a large yellow duck, a busy city, several fearsome frogs, a storm, a whale and a whirlpool, until safely out of the bath and ready for bed.
The simple story line makes this an ideal read aloud for young children at bath and bed time, settling them into a routine of doing these things before bed, bathing, reading a story and then falling asleep. At the end of the story is a double page spread with instructions for making the paper boat in which the boy and his bear sailed through the story. This is an ideal story at bedtime, with instructions for a craft session the next day.
Fran Knight