‘Someone should do something about it,’ says Henry. ‘Like the army – perhaps we should call the army?’

‘I dare you to make the call,’ says Ursula. ‘ “Hello, my dad thinks he’s Genghis Khan, and he’s wearing a lampshade on his head and attaching the neighbour with a bicycle pump, and my friend’s dad is building a pyramid.” ‘ Ursula stares at him. ‘Well – go on, then.’

Henry flushes. 

‘Anyway,’ I say, ignoring Ursula. ‘I tried the police. My mum ended up imprisoning the policeman. She’s turning him into a slave.’ 

( p.71 The Trouble with Mummies)

What a delightful set of books I have discovered. Fleur Hitchcock’s The Trouble with Mummies and Shrunk!, published by Hot Key Books. Both the books are imaginative, delightful and make one giggle on more than one occasion. The stories move fast, never dull and crisply written. You can read them to yourself or read them out aloud — both methods work very well. Read the books, share them and enjoy. 

Here is a short clip of Fleur Hitchcock reading out an extract from The Trouble with Mummies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtWCl3kBZmI

Fleur Hitchcock The Trouble with Mummies Hot Key Books, London, 2013. Pb. pp. 170. Rs. 250