This is a book about colours, with a strong visual narrative that uses the magic pencil device. (See also Aaron Becker’s Journey and Bill Thomson’s Chalk.)

The child’s drawing of the magpie comes to life. Then the bird naughtily eats the red cherries, pops the orange balloon and even borrows the yellow and blue pencils to draw his own picture.

Not even a padlock can stop this wily magpie in its tracks.