They weren’t there.

Oh yes they were and any young child would soon tell you they could see them.

This is the second in my occasional series of favourite picture books. Every child needs a collection of Quentin Blake books. His illustrations are very well known. He has won so many awards and was Children’s Laureate in 1999. His Mr Magnolia won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1980 and it has certainly been a favourite of our family for many, many years.

But here is a less well-known one of his – Cockatoos.

Professor Dupont had ten cockatoos.
He was very proud of them.

One day they decide to hide from him. He looks everywhere, but fails to find them. Our two year old grandchild chooses this book, over and over again and delights in finding the cockatoos, over and over again. Her older sister comes along and helps to count them each time. It takes an even older child, and maybe even the adult, to fully understand just why the cockatoos hide.

So, some more key aspects of the best picture books. They can be appreciated at many different levels; so can be shared by various ages and adults and children alike. And they encourage involvement. Professor Dupont looks in the wrong places; the child looks in the right places, finds the birds and thinks it is so funny.

Who can fail to be enchanted by a picture like this? Can’t you just feel the cockatoos holding their breath, keeping very quiet and still as they hear the Professor coming up the steps. "They are there. They are hiding!", giggles the child. Pure joy!!