Matt Haig and Chris Mould have created a little corker of a book which contains a couple of big messages!

The Truth Pixie lives ‘in a land two thousand miles from here…’ a fantasy land where trolls and goblins, elves and talking rabbits exist. Aunt Julia cast a spell on the young Truth Pixie, henceforth TP could never tell a lie. She could only speak the truth. TP quickly finds out that this isn’t always a good thing and it certainly isn’t conducive to having any friends. Therein lies the first message. We all use lies to make a smooth path for relationships. We don’t do it out of malice but if someone asks what you think of their new hair style – well, the truth may hurt their feelings. And here most of us would use a lie to protect said persons feelings. Right or wrong? Lots to ponder there!

Truth Pixie longs for a friend but when she ventures out it always ends the same way- with cross or upset people. TP runs into a troll…telling the truth to a thirty-five-foot troll. This can’t end well can it? After some truths, that TP cannot stop herself saying, the troll throws Truth Pixie to Helsinki. She lands in the bedroom of a downhearted girl -Aada. Aada is sad because she is having to move away worried about leaving her friends. Aada says that she wants to hear TP’s truth about the situation she is in. Of course, Truth Pixie must be completely honest. She tells Aada that things are going to be very hard but that it won’t always be true. There will be bad days but that’s ‘what makes you you’

TP shares the second big message of this story: life is not always easy, but everything will pass. There will be good days and bad. A message we all need at some point or another. I’m not advocating a pull yourself together attitude but sometimes we need a friend to remind us everything won’t be dark forever.

This book is reminiscent of Dr Seuss in the best of ways. I must confess I am a complete sucker for a rhyming couplet! It trips off the tongue in a fine way. I imagine this took some thinking up and some editing! Matt Haig has created a story for children with a moral and I think it stands with the best of this genre. I adored the pictures.  Chris Mould has illustrated this perfectly. Giving TP a face and a place in this book’s landscape is a real triumph.

A brilliant, must have book.