Meet Parsley the Lion and his friends from the herb garden. Parsley the Lion and his friend Dill the dog live in a herb garden. The garden is watched over by Constable Knapweed, who always has a notebook at the ready to jot down any behaviour that seems out of order. Other characters include Mr Bayleaf, Sage the owl, Aunt Mint, the school teacher Mr Onion and his students, the Chives. The 18 stories in The Adventures of Parsley the Lion centre mostly around Parsley and Dill, with other characters making appearances. In one story Dill tries to sell his amateur paintings, which he passes off as masterpieces; in another Dill has an open day for his kennel, insisting it is one of England's stately homes. When Parsley buys a car, it is with disastrous results; and an important telegram is misinterpreted by the over confident Dill, leading the two friends to miss a fun barbeque. Parsley the Lion first appeared in 1968 in a children's TV series called The Herbs, created and written by Michael Bond (Paddington Bear). The stories collected here are from published books that tied in with the TV series, with gorgeous new illustrations from Rob Biddulph. Funny, endearing, whimsical and very British, the world of the herb garden is beautifully evoked in Michael Bond's superb storytelling. This is quality children's literature, with nothing dumbed down or made gross. The Herb Garden and its denizens have much to teach us, all in a good, fun way. Ages 5 + The Adventures of Parsley the Lion, by Michael Bond. Illustrations by Rob Biddulph. Published by HarperCollins. $19.99 Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
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