Thomas and the Tinners by Jill Paton Walsh
The miner's work is hard, so they need their tasty lunchtime pasties. When new recruit Thomas shares his meal with a strange, tiny miner, he is rewarded by being granted a wish. But soon, more strange, tiny miners appear, each of them demanding food - and no pasty is large enough to satisfy their hunger. Thomas regrets his kidness, but when he and the miners face an even bigger problem; it seems that his new friends may just hold the answer...With an engaging story told in short chapters, and illustrations in black and white and colour on every double-page spread, this short novel is ideal for newly confident readers.