Zilla Sasparilla and the mud baby - Judith Gorog

A story with a folk-tale atmosphere by an award-winning duo. As Zilla Sasparilla is making her way along the slippery path by Little Muddy River, one of her big feet is sucked into the mud and over she goes on her bottom. She has to plunge her hands in right up to her elbows to find her lost shoe but when, finally, she hauls it out, something else comes with it, a beautiful, mud-golden baby. Oh, how Zilla loves that baby! She washes him and feeds him and hugs him and kisses him. "Cinnamon" She names him "Cinnamon" and she is so happy. But as her mud baby grows, Zilla just can't help worrying that that mean old river is going to try to steal him back from her.;Wise old Granny Vi tries to calm her anxieties, but eventually Zilla decides the only thing to do is move house. So she packs up all her possessions on a wagon and sets off with Cinnamon. To get away, though, they have to take the path by the river and, when the mule refuses to pull, Zilla gets down from the wagon to push and, as before, she slips. This time, though, she falls into the river. She looks on horrified as Cinnamon kicks off his shoes and dives in to help her. But the boy just laughs. Nothing happens to him and, at last, Zilla's fears are put to rest. They go back home.;Julia Gorog is the award-winning author of many other children's books.;Amanda Harvey has won the Mother Goose Award for "A Close Call". She has also illustrated "Grimms' Fairy Tales", and stories by Dick King-Smith.