Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley make an excellent partnership. All nursery and primary schools should have a copy.

This is a very touching book about being adopted. When the class hamster has babies, Alfie Tate becomes involved in finding new homes from them. This is especially poignant because Alfie explains to the class that he was adopted when he was little. He shares his life story book, which has pictures of him when he was a baby and letters from people who helped him. One hamster, named Alfonzo, always looks sad, so Alfie takes special care of him, eventually adopting Alfonzo himself and making him a life story book. There are lots of important issues raised by this story, all covered gently and sensitively.

Help a Hamster is one in a series of picture books by Hilary Robinson dealing with challenging issues for children – in this case, adoption.

There was a surprise in store for the children of Copper Tree class when they returned to school after the holidays. Henry, the class hamster, had come back with four baby hamsters. A shock for everyone, as they thought Henry was a boy!

With the baby hamsters now needing new homes, Alfie Tate is assigned hamster monitor. Their teacher, Mr Davis, thought Alfie was the best person for the job, as he himself is adopted and could tell the rest of the class what it was like to go to a new home.

This beautifully illustrated book is aimed at children between the ages of four and seven. It would be a rewarding book to read alongside your child to help them with their understanding of adoption. It also raises others issues such as bullying when the smallest hamster, Alfonzo, is ignored by his mother, Henry, and pushed aside by the others. Alfie takes pity on poor Alfonzo and when he is the last to be found a new home, Alfie’s adopted mother agrees to him taking the hamster home as his own.

Help a Hamster is the third in the Copper Tree class series. Other books in the series deal with issues such as bereavement, the elderly, divorce and prejudice.

A touching story which helps children to gain a better understanding of adoption.

Brilliantly written and illustrated. Answers questions with sensitivity and care.

Encourages children to think about adoption, blended families and attachment through the parallel stories of the little boy Alfie, whose mother gave him up for adoption, and the baby hamster, Alfonzo, who is rejected by his mother and litter-mates.

When Henry the hamster arrives back at school after the holidays having given birth to four babies, all the members of Copper Tree Class are excited, but one baby hamster is neglected by his mother and unhappy. Alfie, who was adopted at three years old, names the hamster Alfonzo and takes a particular interest in his welfare. The class set about finding homes for the baby hamsters, but they can’t find a home for Alfonzo, until Alfie’s Mum decides he can come and live with them. Soft pencil and watercolour illustrations create a gentle and comforting atmosphere in which children can explore ideas of love, family and belonging.

A touching and insightful story that helps children understand more about adoption.