Molly is a very helpful little mole and is always doing things for others. But Molly is also a rather needy little mole, and her friends aren't aware of this. She happily helps Daisy the Deer when she gets her hoof stuck in some tree roots; she picks flowers for Belinda the Butterfly who can't pick them herself; and she helps Owen the Owl study for his spelling test so he can get an A+. Alone in her house underground, she often feels very different from her friends. Her body image isn't great, and she envies Daisy her long legs, Belinda her beautiful colours, and Owen his cleverness. I suppose a small furry mole might well feel envy at others' abilities, but what she doesn't know is that her friends love her because of her kindness, her helpfulness, and her patience. When this is explained to her, she come to realise that she herself doesn't love her friends because of how they look or their good minds. She loves them because of the things they do together: 'It doesn't matter what you look like or what special talents you have, as long as you are kind, helpful and patient' - just like Molly. This may be a difficult concept to swallow if one happens to be the local 'carrot top' or has a weight concern, but it is an important one nevertheless, and this is an important story, well written and with wonderfully bright images. There is plenty of scope for discussion, and the notes for parents and teachers at the end will help this along. Available from Amazon, from book shops, and from the publisher: www.jkp.com.