Child's Play

Blieka loves her* new red ball; she loves it so much that she takes it with her everywhere, and no one else is allowed to touch it. The other animals can’t get a look in – she even takes it to the cinema! But when the ball begins to deflate, she soon discovers that it takes teamwork to make it firm and round again and that sharing her toy might be a good idea. At first it is very difficult, but when her friends begin bringing their toys to share with her, she sees the point. Soft, rounded, cuddly animals and wonderful sponge-effect colour make this a truly outstanding production.
Blieka may be male or female*. I made her female here, but it is unimportant – one of the strengths of the story is that he/she could be either. Selfishness is a universal feeling, and this story will help children understand the importance of sharing."

Books for Keeps. 17th November 2014

"Blieka gets a ball. But because Blieka loves the new toy so much, Blieka doesn't want to share it... Sharing is a concept of notorious difficulty for many young children, and this book not only explores the benefits of sharing, but the joy of having something that belongs just to you... and highlights that the two aren't mutually exclusive. The delicate illustrations alternate between wash backgrounds and plenty of white space, keeping the book visually interesting and appealing. Blieka hasn't been assigned a gender, making the rabbit easy for all children to identify with. They'll love following Blieka's adventures with the ball, and subsequent enjoyment with friends."

Beth Cox, School Librarian Journal Vol 61 School Library Association. 26th June 2014

"This bright and eye-catching book presents the concept of sharing in a way that's both realistic and funny. What I loved was this wasn't a straight-out, hit you over the head 'share and everything will be better' message... a fun book to read with preschoolers who have mastered basic sharing concepts and can grasp the humor, and with toddlers who will relate to the difficulty of letting a favorite toy go."

Flying Off My Bookshelf blog. 26th June 2014