Barkly Mansion is home to four idiosyncratic, excitable dogs: Lady Delilah (who likes things ‘just so’), Kyle (who’s a bit of a snob and loves all things fancy), and the adventurous Cookie and Fizzie. But this little family of dogs is in for a few surprises when a lateral-minded gorilla named Edmund shows them simpler, more creative ways of solving problems.

I defy any child (or adult!) to resist the wacky adventures of these goofy, adorable animals as they explore the joys and conundrums of collaboration and friendship. The pairing of illustrator Adele K. Thomas and author Melissa Keil is genius; the cartoon-inspired artwork on every page adds to the mayhem and exploits of this madcap animal family, and the mischievous humour and wordplay is guaranteed to keep children reading while laughing out loud. Best of all, it is the first book in a series with more to come! Highly recommended for ages 6+.

Athina Clarke works as a Children’s & YA Book Specialist at Readings Malvern.