Overall Star Rating: 5 Stars Peter Kay’s The Owl and the Mole was originally written for his grandson, then reworked for wider publication and illustrated by the author’s daughter. Brie is a mole who lives at the edge of the wood with his mum and dad. He has poor eyesight like most moles and is forever bumping into things. He also has a terrible stutter. One day while Brie was burrowing and bumping into things, he took a wrong turn and ended up digging his way up to the wood. He bumped into Melvin, a badger, and the two eventually became friends. Brie confided in Melvin, telling him that because he was so different to the other moles, he didn’t have many friends in the mole community. Melvin also has an owl friend called Cedric. Cedric is different to most owls in that he is a vegetarian. He does not like the normal food owls eat, such as mice, voles, and other small creatures. He prefers to snack on dewy, tender grass and other such herbal delicacies. Cedric confides in Melvin how he has no owl friends because his eating habits are so different and they don’t understand him. Melvin decides that Brie and Cedric would get on great together, and so he introduces them, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Owl and the Mole is a delightful children’s story about differences, and how having a little empathy can go a long way to ensuring that everyone has a friend. This story will encourage young readers to embrace the differences in their peers and develop friendships that can last forever. This is a book that would do well to be in every classroom and children’s library, either for children to read, or to be read to them. How better to make a better world for us all than by encouraging tolerance and friendship in the rising generation! This is a sweet tale of how differences can be forgotten when true friendships are created. (Phoebe Wilby)

Overall Star Rating: 5 Stars The Owl and the Mole is a warm, thoughtful children’s story about friendship, difference, and belonging. Brie the mole and Cedric the owl are both outsiders. One clumsy and timid, the other rejected for being a vegetarian, yet their shared loneliness brings them together in a meaningful way. The characters are genuinely endearing, and their growth feels natural and uplifting. Melvin is a key character in bringing them together. The message about embracing differences is simple but powerful, especially as the story shows how connection can transform isolation into friendship. The illustrations are soft, expressive, and beautifully complement the story, adding charm and accessibility for younger readers. While the pacing is slightly uneven at times, it allows space for the story to develop. Overall, this is a heartfelt and visually lovely story with a message that truly sticks. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Overall Star Rating: 5 Stars 'The Owl and The Mole' by Peter Kay is a children’s picture book for readers between 3-7 years old, but also can be enjoyed by older readers, so this is just a guideline. It is a lovely story about friendships between Brie the Mole, Cedric the Owl and Melvin the Badger, an unlikely trio. This book encourages reading by children alone or in a group, helped by simple language use, flowing structure and high quality artwork. This heart-warming story supports emotional understanding, and creates a lasting impression in the impressionable minds of younger readers. Encouraging empathy and reflection, there is meaningful emotional exploration within this story. (Yvonne Marrs)