Ages 4 to grown-up
Fair warning – this one is kind of gross. It’s the story of a fly who learns that swimming can be very dangerous – well, if you go swimming in a toilet bowl. The fly is merrily swimming away when suddenly everything goes dark, then it starts to ‘rain’ and then a huge (brown) ‘meteorite’ comes crashing into the pool. It really is gross.

I’ve given away the punch line – but when you read this out loud try not to give anything away until the dreadful realisation comes when the fly hears “a voice saying: ‘Mum, Mum! I’ve finished.’”  It’s a brilliant moment – usually followed by all manner of groanings.

So – why read such a gross book?