Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I wish I was young reading this with a youngster's eyes and imagination but that said this book is wonderful. Beautifully written and illustrated it is a joy to read.
Such close friendship bond and the messages that the stories give are so powerful yet told in a subtle and delicate way.
Very light hearted, very easy to read and utterly enchanting

Armadillo and Hare are amongst my top favourite book characters. These delightful hardback stories are so worth sharing with young readers. The illustrations are superb and keep the reader smiling as they read through each enchanting tale.

Armadillo and Hare are great friends and they have a cast of eclectic friends that join them throughout the books. These characters are realistic in their qualities and behaviours and readers will relate to some of their quirkier habits! They will certainly chuckle while reading about them,
The friendship of the very different Armadillo and Hare is lovely and they tease and share banter in each tale- true friends!

Perfect for reading aloud to a KS1 class, these are sure to delight!

I absolutely adore this series – exquisitely written by Jeremy Strong and with wonderful artwork by Rebecca Bagley.

Separate stories, but with an overreaching arc, this is ideal for little readers and listeners ready for longer stories.

I love the arrival of fabulous flamingo - brilliant voice, and captured magnificently in Rebecca's artwork. The book delves into friendship and individuality. It's entertaining and joyful. Storytelling at its best.

A real gem of a book.

A series of short stories, featuring Armadillo and Hare and their many animal friends in the Big Forest. The 3rd collection of stories featuring these animals from Jeremy Strong but although there are a couple of references to past stories (such as Hare telling Armadillo where he got his Magic Tuba) they very much stand alone.
Flamingo arrives overnight and announces her presence with her beautiful song. The animals are all a little bit in love with her, and openly welcome her to their community. Flamingo is fair and friendly and fits in well.
These are easy to read to read stories, with simple plots and nice messages.
Good for newly independent readers gaining confidence.
Beautifully illustrated too, meaning they would work as bed-time stories to be read aloud to younger children too.

A book about 9 short stories that follow Armadillo and Hare close friendship, alongside their quirky forest friends. It is full of fantastic illustrations that are detailed and hold some comedy value, complimenting the text and is sure to put a smile on the readers face.
The story is about a new arrival to the forest who comes in loudly and singing. Not only is Flamingo a larger than life character but she has brought a GIANT BATH TUB and placed it right in the middle of the forest, causing quite a stir. As the book progresses and you read through the different tales, the reader is able to enjoy the special friendships and bonds between the animals, as well as the humour the adventure and disruption of flamingo brings into their lives.

A perfect read for early readers, the short chapters of the stories would make it a perfect read for night time reading/story time, or as an option for independent reading during school time. It is a story that can be shared and enjoyed by both adult and child, and is a great option for avid little readers that are looking to progress up into a longer more detailed read!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read and review this delightful story book! It was a pleasure to read.

Flamingo fabulousness is plentiful in this delightful read that celebrates friendship and the importance of being who you are.

I love the Armadillo and Hare books that tell the stories of two companions and their friends. The books have all of the warmth and charm of the Frog and Toad adventures by Arnold Lobel. Two friends spending time together, enjoying their days and learning valuable and meaningful lessons about life.

Although they are not at all alike and have very little in common, Armadillo and Hare are the best of friends. Armadillo enjoys sitting around in his chair, wearing his dressing gown inside out and eating cheese and tomato jam sandwiches. Hare is full of energy, plays the tuba, enjoys working out and always looks rather dapper.

When someone new arrives in the forest, she causes quite the stir. The most beautiful music alerts Armadillo and Hare to the new arrival and the duo, along with the other inhabitants of the Big Forest, are keen to find out exactly who is making the noise. What they discover is the most fabulously flamboyant of flamingos! Perched in a bath tub on the bank of the lake, the strange sight raises more questions than it does provide answers. Where did the flamingo come from? What’s with all the singing? And why is she in a bath tub?

Written as nine short stories, Armadillo, Hare and their friends - a bicycle-riding wombat, a jaguar, a stick insect that is very hard to spot, a giraffe, an elephant, a bear (of the polar variety), a lobster and a tortoise - get the answers to many of their questions as they get to know their new arrival. The stories are light-hearted and funny and Jeremy Strong presents characters that are very likeable and relatable. Dig a bit deeper and readers will find messages and lessons on friendship, kindness, being true to yourself, health and well-being, accepting others and not judging on appearance. Armadillo and Hare certainly give readers a lot to think about.

This is an ideal early chapter book and a great read for those children who are moving on to longer length books. Each chapter is a short story about a specific event and there is something to learn from each tale. The text is nicely spaced out so as not to overwhelm young readers and Rebecca Bagley’s delightful illustrations, that are frequently dotted throughout the book, are a great accompaniment to the text and perfectly capture the different personalities of Armadillo, Hare and all of their friends.

A perfectly pitched read and I can see this book being enjoyed time and time again, much like I did with my Frog and Toad books when I was a child.

Recommended for 6+.

With thanks to David Fickling Books and Jeremy Strong for the advanced reader copy that was received through Netgalley.

Such a wonderful colourful story. Shows children that they can be who they want to be regardless of who they are and how they see life. Funny and humble.
Be yourself and you will be loved no matter who you are.

The story of two friends - Armadillo and Hare - who are awoken one night by singing in the Big Forest. They find out the voice belongs to the flamboyant new arrival Flamingo. All the animals who live in the forest like Wombat, Bear (of the polar variety) and Invisible Stick Insect are enamoured with her. The book contains a number of short stories about the lives of these characters. It is a gentle, humorous collection of stories that are perfect for early readers to read themselves and is accompanied by enough illustrations to keep young readers fully engaged with the stories.

This is a great book. Armadillo and Hare live in the Big Forest with lots of other animals, when one day, Flamingo arrives with her bathtub! The book contains several short tales, ultimately about friendship, kindness and being yourself. The illustrations are brilliant and this would make a great independent or class read.

So many talking points in this quaint cross-ks book, a midnight sonata in the forest with a cacophony of quirky characters-irresistible! Rich linguistic features highlight each animal's personalities & talents, and the special friendship that connects them all. An endearing read!

Everything about this book is great! The animal characters feel so real and I love all their quirky behaviours that really made me laugh (Armadillo who likes to wear his dressing gown inside out!) I found myself completely immersed in their world. This is the third book in the series about the two friends Armadillo and Hare. They have such a lovely friendship. They are so different: Armadillo who likes to sit wearing his special cardigan and slippers, eating tomato jam and cheese and Hare who is so energetic and sporty. Both so different but such good friends and the way they talk and tease each other is very funny.
In this story a new arrival, Flamingo, causes a stir amongst the animals when she arrives singing with a giant bath tub planted in the middle of the forest. The other animals don't know what to make of her and it leads to lots of discussion about what to do. This book is heart warming and funny from beginning to end and is the perfect book to read to young children. The illustrations are stunning and bring the brilliant characters to life. I would love to read this in school to a Year 1/2 class. This would also be a great early chapter book for children aged 6 or 7 to read independently. I have already ordered the first two books in this series to read with my daughter and I can't wait! A must read for all children.
Thank you to NetGalley and David Fickling books for this ARC.

Reading this after a long and hard day felt like I was hugged by my loved ones all at once. I find myself laughing at the adorable illustrations and showing them to my husband. I craved cheese sandwiches and tomato jam. I also heard the gorgeous flamingo singing; I managed to live in the forest with all the animals for about thirty minutes. And it was perfect. Children aside, the adults will enjoy this marvellous book and bed time reading will become a joy for everyone. I loved every page!