Parents will be familiar with the scene: an array of children's toys strewn about the whole house including the least likely places such as the kitchen cupboard. Yes indeed, little children and clutter go hand in hand and Imeldina u l-Imbarazz is a book about just that.

When Imeldina's father opens the fridge for milk, he finds her jacket tucked under a cake, next to the jam jar; when her mother opens her wardrobe, a cacophony of stationery falls on her head; when Imeldina herself opens the school bag, instead of books, she pulls out pink panties and her bed socks.

Her parents are evidenlty very laid back (compared to you or I), but even their patience snaps one day and they order her to clear up "Now!"

Because Imeldina is your average normal girl, she strongly resists parental authority. She then gets this grand idea that she can clean up the mess by sitting down, closing her eyes and wishing things away. She tries and tries, and forces her eyes shut even more, but the magic does not work and not a single thing budges in place. Eventually, even becuase her clever parents never do the work for her, she gets round to tidying the house from the  mess and is rather delighted at the result.

Written by Sandra Hili Vassallo and published by Merlin Publishers, Imeldina u l-Imbarazz is aimed at children aged between three and six. It is a follow up to Imeldina, published three years ago, in which the little girl enjoyed splashing around in her red boots.

The book comes to life once again, with the beautiful illustrations by Beatrice Costamagna, a young and extremely talented Italian illustrator.

"The first Imeldina was a surprise hit for us, especially when considering that this was the teamwork of a debut author and an unknown, in Malta, illustrator," said Merlin Publishers director, Chris Gruppetta. "The liveliness of the character and the sprightly illustrations evidently struck a chord with Maltese children," he said.

For Merlin Publishers, Imeldina u l-Imbarazz is another cheerful step in bridging the gap of quality books for young Maltese readers.

'Imeldina u l-Imbarazz' is availabe for sale from all bookshops or directly online from www.merlinpublishers.com