Five Minutes Peace

Mrs Large the elephant looks despairingly at the chaos caused by her three boisterous children as they messily eat their breakfast. Deciding to sneak off for a relaxing bubble bath, she carefully sets a tray with tea, toast and cake, and quietly heads towards the door. However, she is spotted by Laura, who demands to know where she is going. Despite her pleas to be left alone, Mrs Large’s quiet time is soon interrupted: Lester bursts into the bathroom to play a tune on his recorder, Laura insists on reading to her and the baby tips a trunkful of toys into the water. Before long, the exuberant youngsters clamber into the bath, forcing their mother to seek refuge elsewhere.

This extremely funny, beautifully observed portrayal of everyday family life will delight young readers and is sure to resonate with parents. The charming, colourful illustrations are full of warmth and humour, with lots of detail to explore. Children will giggle at the familiar antics of the Large family and may even develop empathy for their own parents as they follow Mrs Large’s desperate attempts to secure five minutes peace.