Toast is a very excited little field mouse — in just a few sleeps it will be his birthday. Toast and Mummy fill their time with all sorts of preparations for the party while Daddy fills his time frantically trying to finish a special, secret present. Toast and Daddy want to know just how many sleeps are left — but for very different reasons!

When Puddle was barely more than an egg, he couldn't wait to start duckling school.' So begins this story about feelings of excitement, anticipation, and understandable nervousness that surround an approaching first day at nursery school. Puddle, a little duckling, is like so many preschool children in desperately wanting to be grown-up enough to go to school and to have his own school bag. But as the day draws nearer, Puddle begins to feel rather wobbly about the whole concept! Luckily Mummy knows just what to do. She packs items into Puddle's school bag that will help him through his first day — one of her softest feathers to remind him she is never far away, some home-made biscuits for him to share with his new friends, his Cuddly for the afternoon nap — and, as the story unfolds, we discover how Puddle's enjoyment of his first day builds each time he finds one of Mummy's tokens in his bag. Puddle spends a happy day counting caterpillars, matching ladybirds, leaping from lily pad to lily pad, and decorating a leafy twig. So, by going-home time, he can put his twig in his bag to take home for Mummy. This is just the right story to boost confidence for those starting preschool, nursery or kindergarten — children will love to share everything about Puddle's first day.

Scramble is a little otter who can't swim. At the beginning of the story, we find him in the middle of writing a list. It's his Can-do and Can't-do List. The Can't-do side just says 'Swimming'. One small word. But not being able to swim is a big deal for Scramble. It means he's teased by some of the riverbank animals. It means he feels left out when everyone else is in the water. And it means he spends hours and hours sitting on his own on the slippery rock wishing and wishing and wishing that he could. But something is going round in Scramble's head. Something his mummy has said. Something his older sister has said. 'You've got to start smallEL' And so, slowly, slowly, Scramble builds his confidence in the water — overcoming each new incremental goal that he sets himself. Until, finally, Scramble really can swim! At the heart of this gentle story about learning a new skill is the message of encouragement — something that is important for toddlers everywhere.