Ned likes to be naked. A trait my 4-year-old readily identifies with. Who wants clothes, after all? They get in the way, they scratch, they itch, they’re generally fiddly. So Nuddy Ned’s Christmas by Kes Gray and Garry Parsons was bound to be a hit before we even realised there were lift-the-flaps (ahahaha!!)…
Oh yes. Ned takes off all his clothes and runs into the snow, much to the dismay of his parents. And thus follows a series of funny encounters (and my 8-year-old much appreciated the humour of the verse that should end with ‘willy’ but doesn’t), ending up with a meeting with Santa, who has his own view of Ned’s behaviour…
The pictures are bright and cheerful, and my 4-year-old eagerly reached for the flaps – THIS time, surely, we’d see Ned’s full monty?! The verse is regular and satisfying (as a parent I am always delighted when a rhyming picture book has an accurate and consistent rhythm) and reminded me of Adam and Charlotte Guillain’s wonderful George books (Spaghetti with the Yeti et al).
A bundle of fun and laughs with excellent writing and wonderful artwork, Nuddy Ned’s Christmas is highly recommended for your child’s stocking this year. And it has holographic foiling on the front cover! Published by Bloomsbury on 6th October, it’s a sequel to the first Nuddy Ned.
Jo Cotterill 