The Everywhere Bear

Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb are clearly a winning combination. This picture book about a missing toy bear somehow feels like a classic already.

The story focuses on a stuffed toy that lives at a school: the Everywhere Bear. One day, the bear falls from a boy's backpack and goes on the most extraordinary adventure. But will he ever make it back to Class One?

Julia Donaldson's rhymes are so bouncy and joyous, and Cobb's illustrations are full of vivid, crayon-like verve. No detail is left un-tweaked - whether it's the expression on a cat's face or a street scene full of life and chaos.

In fact, there is a lovely whiff of nostalgia about it all, even though it feels very current. The book is gently inclusive, reflecting the society we live in and the little joys that unite us - most sweetly and memorably, in a fun trip to the library.