This is the third children’s book in the series written and illustrated by wildlife conservation scientist Dr Colin Bonnington, following on from ‘The Grey Tale of Mrs Sciurus’ and ‘Meles and the Ferocious Farmer’. Major Dendrocopos who appeared in ‘The Grey Tale of Mrs Sciurus’ is a great spotted woodpecker and although he sided with the loathing Lieutenant Lepus in this first tale, he is a reformed character now and has changed his ways. It would appear that a great spotted woodpecker can change its spots!

There is a tremendous black poplar tree at the bottom of the Bumpkin’s garden. Everyone loves the treasured tree from the bats and birds who live in its holes on its trunk to the squirrels who enjoy nothing more than sliding down its brilliant branches. But three less-than-desirable characters love the tree, or at least the money they’d get from its timber. So the battle is on for young Benjamin Bumpkin and the animals who live in the tree, lead by Major Dendrocopos, to protect the tree from the vile villians.

The heinous hoard, made up of Tubby Grubb, Lofty Grimm, Hefty Grevious, along with their horrible hound, Grot, want to catch all the animals who live in the Bumpkin’s garden to make game pies, and want to chop down all the trees to sell the timber, not least the tremendous treasured tree. But with animal united with young Benjamin can the tree be saved from the horrible humans and horrendous hound?

For those who like the genius Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’ and ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’, as well as the family favourite movie ‘Home Alone’ this book may be just the read for you!