Julia Donaldson, along with the brilliant illustrator, David Roberts, has come up with a modern classic published this week. I just received this message from the book's editor Suzanne Carnell and I believe her:

Do have a read: children love it – and so will you. If you’ve got kids, this is one you’ll positively enjoy re-reading on a daily basis. I’m extremely proud of this book and, as Gordon Brown (who last week chose The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler as one of his top five favourite books) might say: I recommend it to the House!

Two of the most important serial best sellers in my life are Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (of which I am a non-executive director) and Harry Potter which Macmillan Distribution is proud (and worked to the bone) to distribute for Bloomsbury. In the normal course of events these publications have little in common but at the premiere of the latest Potter film, its star Daniel Radcliffe pulled a copy of this year's Wisden out of his pocket (big pocket) to get cricket celeb and cover adorner (see below) Shane Warne to sign the book. Aaaaah.