The ‘Alfie’ books are some of my all time favourite children’s books. I love them for the way they recreate 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 nervous about going to a friend’s birthday party on his own and wants to take his blanket with him. As the narrative unfolds, he finds that as he is shown kindness and shows kindness in return, and gets caught up in the afternoon and the ups and downs of the party, the new situation turns out not to be so scary after all. Perfect for children who find new social situations a challenge – Shirley Hughes goes before them and shows them what to expect!