While I don't want to wish wintry weather on any of us, this book undoubtedly has extra appeal when there's snow outside.

It's all about a snowman (and his kind) and a friendship with a young girl who's been having a difficult time of things, and it's a wonderful, beautiful and magical tale that lifts the spirits.

Things are tough for 10-year-old Blessing. She is being bullied at school and, at home, her mum is always sad. But on a snowy day Blessing goes to the park and meets a snowman and things change.

The snowman is called Albert Framlington and he is 600 years old. He's got a quirky view on life, but he's got a very kind heart and he wants to make life a bit easier for Blessing. Indeed, he says, the Snowman Code requires that he should help her. 

But he's got his own sadness, too. He has a long lost love in a lady snowman called Clementine. Their separation over hundreds of years has resulted in the perpetual winter that is making Blessing's Mum and many others so sad. If these two snowmen could be reunited then life could be better for everyone. 

I wasn't expecting to like this book but read it because it was being so widely praised. And it's wonderful! Funny and charming, it's just delightful and rather as you'd expect from the author who is also the award-winning screenwriter of 'Paddington 2'. A wonderful winter read.