We love Rosemary Wells in our house. Her adventurous characters strike a chord with my children, just as much as they did with me when I was growing up. The books are littered with little phrases that stick with you for years.

Jack was getting sleepy,
Father read with Kate
Jack needed singing to
So Nora had to wait.

For the tired of being patient sibling, there is Noisy Nora. At the busiest time of the evening, her parents are a little too busy to see that Nora is trying to get some attention. So Nora tries everything she can think of until she finally announces that she is leaving. We love the feisty Nora and her efforts complete with the triumphant ending.

“She’s left us” moaned her mother
As they sifted through the trash.
“But I’m back again” said Nora
With a monumental crash.

I had never heard of “Hazel’s Amazing Mother” before Miss H was given it for Christmas. My children will happily hear of wolves eating red riding hood’s grandmother, but when it comes to big kids picking on our little heroine, it is a different matter. The fears in this book are so real, that Little E clung to me the first time we read it. In case you were equally worried, Hazel’s Amazing Mother puts things right with a pocket sewing kit, 4 tomatoes and the power of love.

Rosemary Wells will be sticking with us for a while longer. Her stories are just as relevant today as when they were written. I’m sure my kids will take great delight in practising their monumental crashes, while I will keep hold of my pocket sewing kit, just in case.