John Evan Harris,Illustrated by Minky Stapleton. New Zealand Author

John Evan Harris's The Grumpy Mole has a similar vibe to The Three Billy Goats Gruff, but without the bridge and troll. Instead, it's a mole who is grumpy, and a group of friends trying to sneak past hishome. It has a nice message throughout, about the importance of friendship, and how being nicecan help to change someone for the better.

The fairy-like illustrations are colourful and eye-catching. The text is written in a variety of different fonts and sizes, making it stand out.

My junior students have enjoyed having this story being read to them. It sparked a lot of great discussions around the importance of being nice to others and how a good deed can be returned.

"For the fairies and mice its a big surprise when a grumpy mole jumps in their way! "I am a mole," he says, "this is my hole, now all of you - just go away""--Back cover.

32 pages

9780473701956

Roiall Emerald Publishers

Author John Evan Harris is a former television producer and director who now writes fulltime. Most importantly, he is the father of four and a grandparent of seven. The Grumpy Mole is a story his children enjoyed on long car trips. Minky Stapleton is a an award-winning designer and writes her own books as well as illustrating others'. Both live in Auckland, New Zealand. John's first two books, The Physician's Gun and Henry Appleton Boy Hero were based on a true incident in New Zealand - the 1866 Maungatapu Murders. Their target readership is 8 - 15 year olds, whereas The Grumpy Mole is for much younger readers 3 - 6 years old.