Winnie takes to the skies in this third adventure from Australian author Valerie Thomas and British illustrator Korky Paul (I'm not quite sure why Paul's name is listed first on this one), running into all sorts of unexpected difficulties. Whether colliding with a helicopter, or crashing into a tower, it's Winnie's cat Wilbur who gets the worst of it, losing whiskers, clumps of fur, even a piece of his tail! Soon the duo are grounded, although surface transport doesn't seem any less disastrous. What is wrong with Winnie? And will she ever fly again...?

I enjoyed Winnie Flies Again, which combines a fun story with zany, attention-grabbing illustrations, and think it would make an ideal selection for the young reader who needs to get glasses. The solution to Winnie's problem allows her to return to an activity she loves, sending a very positive - but non-didactic - message to the child with ambivalent feelings about their own sight issues. Of course, the story and artwork are also just really funny! Definitely one for fans of "witchy" picture-books, ala Alice and Greta or Meredith, the Witch Who Wasn't. ( )