Allan Ahlberg (Illus. Joe Wright), Mrs Plug the Plumber

Puffin, 9780140312386 | Suggested age range: 3-5

Mrs Plug is a resourceful woman. Not only is she a plumber which is useful in itself, she also manages to see off robbers and, when rewarded by a trip on a cruise liner, she saves the ship when it develops a leak. With Mr Plug as her plumber's mate and the little Plug children as her assistants, it is quite a team. A 'real' book but one that is easy to read with hilarious illustrations, this is just one in the fabulous 'Happy Families' series.

Allan Ahlberg (Illus. Katharine McEwen), The Man Who Wore All His Clothes

Walker Books, 9780744589955 | Suggested age range: 6-7

The Gaskitts seem like an ordinary family, but strange things happen to them. One day, Mr Gaskitt puts on all his clothes and sets off for work. On the same day, Mrs Gaskitt picks up a robber in her car and Gus and Gloria Gaskitt have a lot of trouble with their teacher at school. How all these incidents come together is wittily told. The drama is perfectly captured in the details of the illustrations.