Muddle Cuddle, a rhyming, rollicking tale of a daddy’s lap and the various creatures who pile into it, is pure fun for the two-to-six age group and adults who read to them. It all begins with a teddy wanting to “snooze and snuggle with a comfy cozy cuddle…on your lap.” A kitty, a clown, a boy, twin girls, a rooster, a tiger, a snake, and a puppy join the cuddle in turn, making it a “frazzle-daddy tangle on the floor.” Luckily, the daddy has a sense of humour and plenty of room on his lap for everyone (almost – it’s the puppy that sends them to the floor).

Young children will enjoy the just-one-more theme of this story, but it’s the skillful use of language that will really grab them. Be prepared for giggles and repetition, since the book is full of tongue twisters, alliteration, animal sounds, and dire warnings. Laurel Dee Gugler, author of four books for children, knows her audience and what will tickle their funny bones. Three cheers to her for making the central figure a father who puts aside his newspaper and makes everyone in the story feel welcome and loved. The search for a safe place is deep in the heart of all children – the message of acceptance underlies even a comic tale such as this one.

Vlasta van Kampen won the 1982 Canada Council Children’s Literature Prize (now renamed the Governor General’s award) for children’s book illustration for A B C, 1 2 3: The Canadian Alphabet and Counting Book. With many books to her credit, she brings colour and flavour to the text. Her watercolour illustrations are strong but muted, not carnival colours but the hues of everyday life. She has avoided the temptation to render the characters as zany cartoon images; instead we see believable people, toys, and pets. (The wind-up rooster deserves special mention – although it’s a mechanical toy, it has presence.) We see the dad’s armchair from various perspectives as it fills up with cuddlers who move around from page to page to make room for the next visitor.

Muddle Cuddle is a delight – from text to art, from teddy to puppy, from start to finish.