Jonadab and Rita    by Shirley Hughes Order:  USA  Can Bodley Head, 2009 (2009) Hardcover    Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Though in picture book format, Shirley Hughes' richly illustrated Jonadab and Rita includes much more text than usual, orienting it to older early readers than the typical picture book targets. A girl called Minnie lives in Notting Hill and is mostly cared for (in her parents' work related absences) by her nanny Tanya. Jonadab, 'a donkey made of worn grey velvet', is Minnie's most special - and oldest - toy. Why special? Because 'sometimes, very rarely, when nobody was looking, Jonadab could fly.' Only one toy - Rita, 'a small brown mouse with a multi-coloured tail' - suspects, but she keeps Jonadab's secret. Minnie takes Jonadab and Rita for granted and they're bored. So one night, Jonadab flies off to Holland Park and joins a fairy party - but Minnie doesn't even notice he was gone. When he returns to the park, the fairies have already forgotten him. Later, Minnie (who has finally remembered him), Tanya and Rita search the park for Jonadab - and of course they find him. Jonadab and Rita, a tale of true friendship, is most notable for its lovely illustrations. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews