Mr Castle is very proud of his clever wife. When Mrs Castle gets an important scientific job, her children, Clement, Clarissa and Carlo, are worried about who will look after them. This is until Mr Castle declares that he will take over running of the household.

He does a fantastic job, and so efficiently that he soon has nothing left to do, that is until he hears some soft thudding on the roof. It is the ripe plums off the old plum tree behind the house. Delighted, he starts making jam until every container in the house is full! His wife decides he is the 'Picasso of jam makers'.

But now the family must eat all the jam. Jam sandwiches, jam on scones, cakes, pancakes, everything! But jam has other uses too, from stopping leaky roofs to fixing tiles to the floor. The jam starts to haunt their dreams and threaten's to take over the Castle's lives. But just when they can't stand any more...

A joyous little story, with wonderful language, absurd twists and turns and endearing illustrations. This one is sure to become a family favourite! ( )