'I am sure to win, but we will race if you like.' So laughs the hare when a slow tortoise challenges him to run all the way to the old cart. His speed is never in doubt but perhaps it is the hare's boastfulness that should make us question the likely outcome of the race?

The simple message of this La Fontaine fable - that modesty and perseverance will always be rewarded - is gloriously told in this lovely picture book from Brian Wildsmith, an internationally acclaimed writer and artist for children. His simple words and sumptuous illustrations bring a freshness to this timeless fable and the stunning new cover design and imaginative interior typography will delight a whole new generation of young Wildsmith fans.

With the Fables of La Fontaine, Wildsmith turned Wordsmith, retelling the tales with a simplicity that enhances the complexity of the illustrations. In The Hare and the Tortoise, the animals are seen against dazzling, semi-abstract backgrounds, with pinks and purples dotted with shimmering, close-toned blobs of viridian green and cerulean blue that dance before your eyes.