Changes

This time around, there are five short stories. Our loveable rogue creates havoc on a ferry - surely the duty-free shop means everything is free, right? Nobody has to pay. It's not stealing or anything. Of course it isn't. You can get lost on a ferry, did you know that? And you can certainly come close to causing a mutiny. Charlie also causes mayhem by setting loose a collection of woodlice at the dinner table. So much for that lovely roast chicken! But at least the ladybird survives unscathed. And there are some shenanigans at an animal park which I think you should read about for yourselves.

Charlie's adventures are full of slapstick and won't fail to make you laugh. This child can certainly get himself into scrapes. But it's the telling by his sister that really gives Waugh's book impact and originality. Harry is a vivid character all of her own and, while she loves her little brother and is indulgent of him, there is also some tension at play. So we see Charlie through a prism of some mild sibling rivalry and Harry isn't slow to point out when she feels that her parents allow her brother to get away with too much.