Macmillan Children's Books, RRP £10.99
Wendel is a mouse and an inventor - rarely successful and never tidy. When he does decide it's time for a clear-up, he invents robot Clunk to help him. But Clunk puts the teacups in the sock drawer and fills the laundry basket with umbrellas, so Wendel throws him on the scrap heap and replaces him with Wendelbot, a giant robot so tidy that Wendel finds himself out on the scrap heap and in desperate need of a plan to win back his workshop. Will his abandoned friend Clunk be able to help?
This is a lovely, warm and humorous book that would make a fantastic addition to any nursery's collection of stories. The characters are charming, the story is touching and children will never tire of its many exuberant, anarchic and intricate drawings.
The story comes with a subtle environmental message about recycling, provides the perfect stimulus for a focus on robots and is guaranteed to inspire children's creativity in the design and technology workshop. And there's the hint, too, that maybe being just a little bit untidy isn't so bad!
