Ben Gavan does such a wonderful job with The Perilous Postman. A mystery novel for children, it follows the residents of Big Wig as Granny after Granny are kidnapped only to be discovered days later in a foreign country - that they'd been posted! Danny is on a mission; not only to pay for his dream bike, but to discover who's been posting the Granny's of Big Wig! The prose are colourful, playful and completely refreshing. Part humour, part satirical,I lapped this brilliant story up. I found Danny to be a great protagonist, one children will relate and warm to within minutes; especially after reading about his leek obsessed mother who forces him to wash windows. Of course there is the Perilous Postman himself, who appears to be at the centre of all the mischief. A classic retelling of the oldest of messages: never judge a book by its cover, for The Postman is huge, humongous in fact and easily comparable to the BFG. I mean this postman wears fluffy slippers! And despite being a children's book, The Perilous Postman came alive in my own head as I read chapter after chapter - the slapstick scenes exploding within my mind, as well as the diverse range of characters having their own place inside the story. Ben Gavan's cartoon like portrayal of Big Wig, his effortless description and his original telling of the 'don't judge a book by its cover' morals makes him, in my opinion, the new Lemony Snicket.