With clever comic timing this story builds to a surprise ending rather like The Gruffalo. Mortimer is planning a picnic with his best friend Oggy. It’s all ready when a note arrives – poor Oggy has a cold and can’t come after all. Kind-hearted Mortimer decides he’ll look after his friend and take the picnic to him. But a little rabbit hurrying through the woods with a basket of cake and sausages soon attracts the attention of some fierce, hungry creatures and before long Mortimer has a crocodile, a wolf and a troll snapping at his heels, only to be snatched up by something bigger and fiercer still. It’s a funny, very satisfying story with an excellent twist. Nick Ward’s warm, humourous illustrations are full of extra little details that make this even more fun. ~ Andrea Reece
Mortimer is going on a picnic with his best friend, Oggy. He’s very excited! Then Mortimer gets a letter –poor Oggy has a bad cold and can’t come. Kind Mortimer decides to take the picnic to Oggy instead. But it’s a dangerous journey – a hungry crocodile, a wolf and a troll all want to eat not just the picnic but Mortimer too!
Nick Ward was born in the late Jurassic period, and since then has written over sixty books for children, from picture books to young fiction. His book Don't Eat The Teacher has sold over a million copies and his alter-ego Charlie Small has written twelve volumes of unbelievable but completely true adventurous memoirs.
Brought up living above the family shop in a quiet market town, all Nick Ward ever wanted to do was write and illustrate books, and by hook and by crook, that's exactly what he has ended up doing. He has worked in design studios and converted school buildings, but now works from a little wooden studio (shed) at the bottom of his leafy garden. It's all rather lovely.
