Little Grey Rabbit's May Day (Little Grey Rabbit Library)

Little Grey Rabbit is one of the classic gems of children's literature. The series is being relaunched, tying in with a new, beautifully animated television adaptation, and will delight children as much today as when it was first published seventy years ago. Late one night, just before May Day, Hare steals into the village and dances around the Maypole. He tells little Grey Rabbit and Squirrel excitedly all about it the next morning. "Oh, can we have a Maypole too?" begs Squirrel. Soon, all the woodland animals are preparing for the wonderful day, making garlands and crowns of spring flowers. But Wise Owl tells them that they need to have the most special flower of all, the Crown Imperial, for the sceptre. Who will be brave enough to go to the village to find one? AGE 4-8

Alison Uttley was born in 1884 in Derbyshire. She wrote about her characters, "Why do children love them? Because I believe in them." And it is easy to imagine that just over the next hill, little Grey Rabbit, quick Squirrel, bold Hare, kind Moldy Warp and little Fuzzypeg really are all going about their business. Margaret Tempest illustrated the very first Little Grey Rabbit story and her partnership with Alison Uttley continued successfully over the next forty years. Her beautiful, witty watercolours are as much loved and remembered today as when the stories were first published.