I am very pleased

Did you know that Ian Fleming of James Bond fame wrote a children's book? He did! In 1964 for his son, Caspar. In 1968, it was adapted (with a screenplay by Roald Dahl) into a musical starring Dick Van Dyke.

Ian Fleming's book had an inventor and his family, a car with a mind of its own, bad guys (of course) and a recipe for fabulous fudge. Our family read it aloud on a car trip to southern California and loved every minute! I'm not a huge fan of the movie, but Dick Van Dyke is always funny and the car is amazing so there's much to enjoy. Both are worth seeking out . . . especially in light of what comes next in the story.

In 2011, you may have heard a giant squeal of excitement as news broke that the Ian Fleming family had commissioned Frank Cottrell Boyce to write three sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

Be still my heart! Cottrell Boyce, who wrote Millions and Framed, charming books which have also been made into very good movies, was asked to take Chitty into the 21st century! What's not to love?

Well, it's probably been 25 years since I read Fleming's novel, but today when I picked up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, the first of the sequels, I was transported. It's true that instead of the Potts family, we have the Tootings -- calm, resourceful mom, cheerful dad, wannabe nihilist 15-year-old, practical younger brother, and Little Harry, a very observant toddler -- and these are people I could recognize as worthy of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Here's the 15-year-old: "'I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay in my room now that I've finally got it the way I like it.' Lucy had got rid of all the ornaments and dancing certificates from her room, painted the walls and her bookcase black. Dyed her duvet. And her pillowslip."

It's the "and her pillowslip" that assured me Cottrell Boyce got the tone just right -- dry humor, great characters and crazy adventures all bring Chitty back to life, with a perfect cliff hanger of an ending. Any of the titles I've mentioned here are appropriate (and will be enjoyed by) kids from 7 on up. The books would be appealing family read-alouds, aimed as they are at boys and girls of all ages. Oh, and did I mention it's illustrated? I just love it when publishers illustrate children's books!