Inspiring Young Readers

posted on 14 Dec 2025

Porridge Please by Laura Mucha, illustrated by Marc Boutavant

If you’re a fan of some of our wonderful, traditional fairy stories – Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs – then I suspect you’re going to love introducing a young reader to this funny, inventive and high-energy mash-up.

Little Bear (he of Goldilocks and the Three Bears fame) has a treat in mind: he’s comfy in bed and working his way through his new book, which has now arrived at the last page. But before he can finish there’s a knocking on the front door and he runs down to answer it to find Goldilocks is there looking to see if Bear can spare a bowl of porridge because she’s run out.

Leaving her at the table with the porridge pot, he dashes back to bed to finish his book. But again there’s a knocking and this time it’s Red Riding Hood who joins Goldilocks at the table. Soon the Three Pigs are there too and Bear still hasn’t been able to finish his book.

Finally Red Riding Hood’s Grandma turns up and Bear leaves them all eating porridge to get back to his book. But then – catastrophe!! Bear suddenly realizes that it wasn’t Grandma at all but the Big Bad Wolf and he’s down there alone with all those tasty potential victims.

But young readers needn’t despair because Little Bear’s a cunning chappie and he’s got a big surprise in store for Mr Wolf!

And you’ll be very glad to hear that Bear finally gets back to his treasured bed and book – in the company of all of his friends who want to share that cosy moment.

This is a big, generously-sized picture book with fulsome, brightly coloured illustrations by Marc Boutavant, a Paris-based artist who has a terrific pedigree when it comes to illustrating books for younger readers.

Available now from Walker Books, you’ll be able to get a copy from your local independent bookshop – who will, of course, be happy to order it for you if they don’t have it on their shelves.

 

Terry Potter

December 2025