The ‘Alfie’ books are some of my all time favourite children’s books. I love them for the way they recreate the warmth of home and family and the psyche of a child, taking everyday occurrences and turning them into gorgeous heartwarming and relatable stories. Shirley Hughes was an artist by training, and her skill just spills out on the pages of these books. In this story, Alfie is walking home with his family and runs ahead into the house when they get home. The door slams behind him, leaving him with the keys inside while his mum and sister are locked outside. His mum panics, trying to encourage Alfie to stay calm. While she runs over the road and tries to find a neighbour to help, we see Alfie calmly go and find himself a chair to stand on so he can open the door himself! The simplicity of the Alfie stories is at its best here - showing everyday family crises, solved and duly celebrated. Hughes is a master at normalising parental incompetence - which I totally love her for! - and rejoicing in the huge pride a simple achievement on the part of a child can bring. Just lovely!