Polar bear - Trevor Ricketts

Polar Bear just hates the cold. But when he sets off in search of an island in the sun, he soon discovers that home is where the heart is.

Polar Bear is one of a series of small format storybooks for preschool children, based on the hugely popular TV animation series Animal Stories.

Each title - based on a single TV episode - follows the amusing antics of an animal character who is struggling to overcome a particular burden in life, such as baldness in the lion, bad breath in the dog, ugliness in the aardvark and slowness in the snail. The stories are told in delightful rhyming verse, accompanied by bold colourful illustrations derived from the animation.

Funny and appealing, this series of eight titles will enthral fans of the TV programme and newcomers alike, and makes a charming set for young children to collect.