Cottonwool Colin

by
Jeanne Willis
Illustrator: Tony Ross

Colin is the very smallest mouse in his family - so small that his mother won't let him out in case he gets hurt.

Then one day she decides to wrap him up in cotton wool to protect him and he ventures out into the big wide world.

Unfortunately, thanks to his unconventional protective layer, he falls from a great height, gets mistaken for a snowball and thrown into a freezing river and endures numerous dangers and indignities yet still survives.

On his return home, his mother has to admit that wrapping him up wasn't the best idea and that perhaps getting hurt and scared sometimes is all part of life's rich tapestry.

Tony Ross' quirky and distinctive illustrations add humour to a clever and worthwhile tale about learning to stand on your own two feet.

Publisher: Andersen Press

Jeanne Willis

Jeanne wrote her first book when she was five years old and hasn't stopped writing since. She now has over eighty titles to her name, including picture books, novels and television scripts. She has also won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the Silver Smarties Prize. Her teen novel, Naked Without a Hat (Faber) was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award in 2004. She often takes inspiration from dreams and interesting conversations with strangers.

Jeanne Willis