In "The Bicycle," a deluge of rain courses through the village, and the subsequent flood brings with it a strange item. Aware that the "beautiful, shiny machine with wheels that turned around" is a treasure, it is carefully stored by Grandfather's Number One Son. When the young scholar recovers his errant bicycle, he generously shares the delight of a ride with the male members of the family, allowing Little Orchid the honour of ringing the bell.

      In "The Largest Kite," Little Blossom and her Grandfather find that their plans to build the "brightest and biggest kite in the world," go awry when the wind carries Grandfather and the kite into the sky. In the final story, a rich merchant impulsively orders a succession of delicious foods, only to leave equally impulsively without sampling a single one. An impromptu feast ensues to the delight of all.

      Barrie Baker has created a wonderful collection of stories in The Village of a Hundred Smiles. The characters of Grandfather and Little Orchid are engaging and sustain interest as they reappear throughout the book. The problems and conflicts are gentle ones, and the outcomes are satisfying, generating a reflected smile from the reader. These stories work beautifully as bedtime read-aloud tales, with several evenings of pleasure ahead if reader and listener can agree to stop at one tale a night. Stéphane Jorisch, whose illustrations appear in Casse Noisette, the text written by Lucie Papineau, provides wonderful images to complement and enhance the stories. These watercolour illustrations are soft and open-handed, but contain great detail of facial expression and place. They lighten the page with comic detail and affection for these endearing villagers.

Highly recommended.