When I was little, my grandparents’ house had several copies of the Pookie books by Ivy Wallace. I remember rifling through the soft creamy pages, taking in all the details from the pastel illustrations.

Pookie is a rabbit with wings, and he comes to live with a woodcutter’s daughter named Belinda. He sleeps in Belinda’s work basket, with red satin lining, and wears flounced blue overalls. A total of ten books were published in the series, between 1946 and 1966. In the early 90s Ivy and her daughters initiated a re-release of four of the titles through their own publishing venture, Pookie Productions.

I think my favourite title would have to be Pookie Puts the World Right - the ambition of the title alone makes me love it. In this story, there is a terrible storm in the wood, and Pookie and Belinda take in the homeless animals - Pookie makes tiny beds for them in cardboard boxes with miniature sheets and pillows. While out checking for more animals in need of shelter, Pookie encounters Winter, who with its icy voice, speaks to Pookie. Pookie loses his temper and shouts at Winter, telling it to go away for it has come too early. And, to Pookie’s amazement, Winter listens! The animals call Pookie a hero! But little by little the woodland animals realise that that they can’t manage without a Winter - they need it for resting-time, for their winter coats, and for their winter stores of food. So it’s up to Pookie to put the world right again. In the era of climate change, there is a message here that’s more poignant than ever.

The detail of the illustrations of these books is exquisite - the animals, flowers and woodland scenes are so very English, and the interiors of the woodland cottage perfectly of the 1950s era. The muted blues, greens and oranges of Wallace’s pallate are beautiful. The pages are quite heavy with text, but the dialogue-rich text make these books lovely read-alouds. As I flick through their pages, I can almost smell my Nana’s flannelette sheets, feel her hot water bottle on my feet and fluffy eiderdown up to my chin…