This week we have been mainly listening to.....

An Uncommon Reader, written and read by Alan Bennett, which is about the queen coming across a travelling library in the grounds of Buckingham Palace and what happens when she discovers the joys of reading. This is a short book by Bev's standards - only 3 hours - and is reminiscent of Sue Townsend's The Queen and I. Both funny and sad, this story gives us an insight into the workings of the royal household, the dreariness of royal life and how duty has prevented the queen from enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Definitely worth reading, this book has given us bears (and Mr Chimp) enough insight to realise that we are quite lucky not being royal bears - after all, who wants to meet lots of strangers and open shoe factories when you can have much more fun lazing around in bed with your pals, surfing the net, watching stock car racing (can you imagine the royals doing that?) and drinking gallons of cider! Oh, and reading books!