Hazel Green, by Odo Hirsch (Bloomsbury, £4.99 in UK)

Introducing Hazel Green, a charming but steely little girl who lives in an apartment block high above a street that is full of the most exciting sorts of shops. There's the bakery run by Mr Volio, who lets Hazel taste his latest creations at 6 a.m. each day; Mr Winkel in his leather shop, surrounded by scented saddles; a wild fishmonger; Mrs Gluck, a florist who knows exactly where every single flower should go in a bouquet; and a knife-wielding fishmonger. When Hazel and her friends are not making shop calls they are planning to revive the children's parade for Frogg Day, but first they have to make a float. Along comes The Yak, a quiet boy who plays the violin, loves maths and can work out the dimensions of a tower. All goes well until Hazel is accused of revealing the secret of Mr Volio's chocolate dippers, created especially for Frogg Day. Parents rarely appear in this very sweet tale of friendship and independence. The children are allowed to roam freely through their neighbourhood which makes it a modern day fairytale since most of today's children lead far more regimented, artificially stimulated lives.