Worzel Gummidge

Worzel Gummidge is a classic not-quite-human, not-quite-other character, who is able to be in the world without being of the world, who throws out brilliant observations and zany commentary in completely novel and childlike ways. Worzel is a scarecrow who meets Susan and John during their confinement in the country for whooping cough. Worzel is wildly participatory in life, from attending a fair to sitting on eggs to leading a war party to destroy a rival scarecrow, and he can quickly move from gleeful to sultry in a few moments.

I'd never ever heard of Worzel until I saw this book on the 1001 Children's Book list, and that's a shame. I hope he is not neglected on the other side of the Atlantic, and I hope he is rediscovered soon here.