The 7 Gifts That Came To Earth by John Mellor

7-books.net, 167 pages, $20 ($7 e-book)

Suppose you were the guardian of a planet; what are the seven most important gifts you could bestow upon it? A young boy must find this out for himself by reading seven books in a lonely tower at the end of a beach. Each story is about a gift.

The boy has to work out just what these gifts are, and eventually how to reveal them. Fortunately, an angel is there to guide him with seven of her own stories. This was a very good thing, as the tales could be deep with allegories and not a few layers of mysticism.

But what a delightful challenge! The range of characters includes rock star Coalhole Custer (with his 13-string guitar and his psychic synthesiser player), Arthur the astronaut honey bee, George the gardener with a precious weed, and the storm-tossed captain's White Dolphin.

The land is ruled by the Snow Queen and then the Ice Princess, who creates her own utopia. Every household has a television, every man has a wife, and every child has a social worker, but is everyone truly happy?

Gentle humour mixes with wisdom and pathos. Madness dances with brilliance. This little book is one that stays in your head like a piece of music, playing over and over again most delightfully. Congratulations to Nelson author John Mellor.

• Tedi Busch is a retired veterinarian from Nelson.

- © Fairfax NZ News