It's eight o'clock and Jonas stands in front of the television - asleep. He does not want to go to bed. His mother teasingly prods him with her finger "Sergeant Jonas I command you to go to up to bed". But Jonas refuses.

"If papa' was here he would not ...". Immediately, he trails off as he sees his mother's smile wane and she starts crying.

Where is Jonas's father? What happens when the boy eventually climbs the stairs to his room and lies down on his bed? Why does his pet gold fish Feliċ open its mouth so wide and ... hang on, is it going to swallow him?

Fil-Kamra ta' Jonas, published by Merlin Publishers, is a unique picture book because it tackles an emotional theme: how does the child feel when a parent does something wrong?

New author on the block Noel Tanti, tackles the issue so delicately and so sensitively that the book will open doors for discussion not only between parents and children but also among adults who will read the book.

The storyline in fact came to the author when he came across a boy sleeping while standing up in front of the television. "I kept thinking about the image for several months, and then eventually the story evolved on its own accord," he says.

Illustrator Matthew Stroud brings Fil-Kamra ta' Jonas to life with marvellous drawings. New to illustrating children's book, Stroud uses a style which reflects the mood of the plot. "The nature of the story allowed me to tailor the look and feel of each illustration to how Jonas is feeling at the time. I think this comes out most in the angles of the scenes and the use of dark areas," Matthew says.  

Merlin Publishers is not new to tackling highly-charged issues, having only last year issued Mingu, which addressed the hunting reality in Malta. "Picture books are primarily about reading being fun, but we are not shying away from tackling sensitive issues. Maltese children need a body of children's literature which allows them to empathise with the vulnerable," said Merlin Publishers director Dr Chris Gruppetta.

There is no fixed target age for Fil-Kamra ta' Jonas. It is ideal both for reading to children when these are still very young, and eventually for reading by children themselves when they are slightly older. Although it is book which gently pulls at the emotional strings, the element of fun is very vivid and consequently the book helps to further nurture a love of reading.

Fil-Kamra ta' Jonas is available from all bookshops or online directly from www.merlinpublishers.com