Listening recently to my dear friend Nicole talk about her love for Meg Rosoff’s- How I Live Now, I decided a revisit of the novel was in order, since it had been some years since I read it. I will not be reviewing How I Live Now, at this time. Nicole did a far superior job to anything I might have to say, you can find her review HERE.

Suffice to say, I was so enamoured with the novel on my re read that I instantly went to our Year 9 English/Literacy team and sold them the novel for a class novel study, next term (which I am delighted to say, they accepted!)

I then made a phone call to the awesome and ever incredibly helpful staff at The Little Book Room (where would I be without Leesa and her AMAZING team?!) I asked them to send me the entire backlist of titles for Meg Rosoff and planned to spend my holidays reading nothing else…

Imagine my surprise today when a parcel arrived, (delivered by a post man who was no doubt very surprised and bemused when I answered the door half asleep in my Oscar the Grouch PJ’s) that contained not one, but TWO picture books!!! Until this morning, I had NO earthly idea that the stunningly talented Meg Rosoff had TWO picture books to her name!!!

I made myself a coffee and got comfy on the couch, cracked the spines and began to read…and laugh! I adore picture books at the best of times, but to discover these two unknown treasures, was a wonderful surprise.

They are witty, funny, wonderfully illustrated and best of all, ironic. I adore using picture books with my older students and I find this works best when those picture books convey irony. Might I say, Meg Rosoff does it like no one else…(excepting maybe Lane Smith)

Jumpy Jack and Googily and Wild Boars Cook are two MUST HAVE picture books my lovelies. MUST HAVE. Delightful and fun and just, just SUPER