This sweet, gentle tale is beautifully complemented by Fox-Davies's softly glowing landscapes and winsome furry characters--reminiscent of Garth Williams's. Rachel Fister is ailing, and the pandemonium caused by her ``tiny little blister'' is a joy to behold--and hear.

Little Beaver and the Echo is a lovely picture book by the American children’s author, Amy MacDonald. In the title verse of this uneven collection, the moon slides ``down the sky'' low enough for a frog to leap on and ride ``like a jockey on a horse.At the end of their journey the creatures meet a wise old beaver, who explains the mystery voice to them: ``No matter where you are, the Echo is always across the pond from you. With a strong main message around the book (there are always people to be friends with you don’t have to be lonely) it could be used cross-curricular with English and certainly PSHE.

It would be a good book for the beginning of Christmas term, especially with KS1, the book being an explanation to the children that everyone will have friends and we should all be friends and that everybody is there for each other. The landscape depicted is also similar enough for children to recognise the elements, but mountains with conifer forests next to a lake are hardly common.Even small details such as characters holding hands and being close to each other show friendship and Little Beaver leaning forward and scrunching his hands when shouting. It's only when Little Beaver turns to a wise old beaver for advice, that he learns that he will never find The Echo that was crying at the other side of the pond, but that in his quest to find The Echo, he did indeed find friendship.