It's a go to the park day - Vivian French|Clive Scruton

A lively story about an independent young mole's outing to the park.;Velmer the mole is sure that today is a 'go to the park' day. The problem is getting someone to take him. Gran says it's too early, Spencer that he's too busy, and Millie just tells him to "go away". So Velmer decides to take himself. So that he'll know the way home, he pegs the hankie to his gate, ties his jumper to the bridge and trails the string from there all the way to the playground in the park. Once there, he climbs the climbing frame, goes on the swings, the slide and the roundabout and eats his apples. Somehow, though, the park without people just isn't much fun.;Back home, meanwhile, Gran, Spencer and Millie have discovered Velmer's absence and set out to find him, following the signs he left and collecting a small crowd en route. But when they arrive at the playground and Gran says they've come to take Velmer safely home, he bursts into tears. "It's not fair," he sobs. "I asked you to take me to the park and now you've come you just want to take me home again!" But then they do all stay and play for a while, so Velmer's outing comes to a happy end.;Vivian French's books include "Jackson's Juniors", "Tillie McGillie's Fantastical Chair", "Under the Moon", "Zenobia and Mouse", "Mary Poggs and the Sunshine", "Once Upon a Time", "Why The Sea is Salt". "Lazy Jack", "A Song for Little Toad" , "Caterpillar Caterpillar" (shortlisted for the Emil/Kurt Maschler Award), "Apple Trees" and "Spider Watching".;Clive Scruton has illustrated "Cat and Dog", "Four Black Puppies", "Wompus Galumpus" and the Acorn Award-winning "Sidney the Monster" and "Our Sleepysaurus".