Children's Book review

When a Zeeder met a Xyder

By Malachy Doyle

Published by Picture Corgi

Both the tall, green, hairy Xyderzee on the mountain top and the small, bald, blue Zeederzoo at the bottom, by the sea, are lonely. They each go looking for a friend but when they meet on the mountain they can only see their differences and they go their separate ways. Still searching, they meet again and decide to go looking for a friend together. Suddenly it dawns on them that they have each found a very special friend in the other. Soon they have set up home by the lake and have thirty-seven Xyderzeeder tots. This gentle, humorous, rhyming story about apparent differences, friendship and love, has unusual yet delightful illustrations.

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Illustrator: Joel Stewart

Reading age: 7+
Interest level: 5+