Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish by Judith Rossell

Spud and Snowball are two cats living a comfortable life at home. They enjoy watching television - cartoons or cooking shows and it is fun to hiss at programs that feature dogs. One day they see a television advertisement for a new cat food called Fancy Fish. As with all good adverts this one is very persuasive, and Spud and Snowball are now certain that this food will taste delicious - way better than the Kitty-Bix they currently eat. Spud is a cat of action. She will not wait for someone to supply Fancy Fish - she jumps onto the computer and orders a big box.

Well yes, a big box does arrive and yes inside is a fancy fish but not the expected food - an actual fancy fish in a fish tank and boy oh boy he is bossy and loud. In fact, he in an opera singer named Sir Mimsy Woffle-Poffle-Foffington. I imagine Judith Rossell had so much fun dreaming up that name.

Have you noticed there is a cheeky nod to conventions or rather breaking conventions in this book - Snowball is a boy, Spud is a girl and the opera singing fish is a male/man/tenor or bass singer. I can't think of any other book for kids with an opera singer who isn't a woman. Might be time to introduce Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli or Enrico Caruso to your library group or young reading companion.

So now we have a problem for Spud and Snowball. This bossy cat tells the pair they must work as his butlers and supply him with a tasty snack and then he tells them he needs scenery for his performance and ponies to pull his carriage. This is all too much. Surely it is time for the cats to eat this fish - but fishing for a fish in a fish tank is very difficult especially when neither cat wants to get wet. Luckily they still have that computer - perhaps they can return this unwanted parcel.

Publisher blurb: Meet two cheeky cats in this brand-new illustrated fiction for emerging readers from the bestselling, award-winning creator Judith Rossell. Every day, Spud and Snowball lie on the couch and watch TV. When they see an ad for Fancy Fish, the two cats work out a way to have this new food delivered to their doorstep. But what arrives is totally unexpected… Can Spud and Snowball outwit this loud, bossy and very fancy intruder?

I am sure this book will be a 2026 CBCA Younger Readers Notable title - how terrific to have a book you can share with the youngest children in your school library and with the promise of a sequel. As a bonus mum and dad will enjoy reading this book too. 

This is the start of a new series, and it is such a fun read, perfect for emerging readers, newly confident readers, or anyone who wants a little bit of kitty cat fun. Spud and Snowball is a book that captures the joy of fun and creativity through cool cat characters. It’s going to be fun and cool to see where this series goes. There’s something special and joyful about reading a new series when it first comes out and being part of its journey. The Book Muse

The illustrations are an integral part of the story, sometimes taking a graphic novel format, always full of energy and fun, dominating the pages. The  text in varied fonts and sizes is pitch perfect for beginning readers but middle grade readers will also enjoy the over the top humour. Storylinks

From Readings Melbourne:

Three reasons to read Spud and Snowball:

 

1. Rossell makes books that kids love to read and read again. She’s won big awards for her stories, which are always funny, clever and full of imagination. She also draws the pictures herself, bringing every silly moment and cheeky character to life! Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish continues her brilliant work, with hilarious artwork and cheeky characters that leap off the page.

2. This illustrated junior fiction is designed especially for emerging readers aged 6 and up. With short chapters, lively illustrations, and clear, engaging language, it’s the perfect bridge from picture books to longer stories.

3. Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish is the first book in a brand-new series featuring Spud and Snowball, setting the stage for more quirky, laugh-out-loud adventures. It’s a fantastic way to get kids excited about reading, and eager for the next instalment.

Companion books:

Floof

Scallywag

Flubby

The Three-Legged Cat

Pepper and Boo

Emmie

Jasper and Scruff

Growing Home

Other books by Judith Rossell for older readers:

Book One in the Stella Montgomery series

Withering by Sea

The Midwatch

North and the Only One by Vashti Hardy

This book was among the new titles in the Book Bunker library at Westmead Children's hospital where I work as a volunteer. I previously read a short book by Vashti Hardy - The Griffin Gate.

Rose wakes from a vivid dream that seems to be about her life in the past. A few days ago she had woken up to find herself in a house she does not recognise. She meets Mother but again has no recognition of this person. Life is comfortable and she does have the beautiful companionship of her dog whose name is North but there is always this niggling feeling that someone important is missing. She needs her memories. She needs to remember her past. This dream, as with other dreams, has been so vivid and so she gets of out of bed and quietly goes to Mother's room keen to talk to her about the forest scene and house she has seen in her dream.

If you are book talking this book with your library or class group I would read pages 29-31. This is from page 31. 

"She strode, forward, stopping midway down the bed. Mother looked so peaceful. Her cheeks brushed with white, hands neatly by her sides. Moonlight glinted on something in mid-air to the side of her. At first, Rose thought it must be a moth, but then she realised it was some sort of aerial line or string in  between her and Mother. How curious. She reached towards it to check she wasn't imaging it, and ran her fingers gently along the wire. It was definitely a cable. She looked back to the wall and saw it was plugged into a charging point ... Rose froze. It didn't make sense. She looked at the charging point. She looked at Mother. A shudder ran through her, her heart rate escalating. It was impossible. Mother was plugged in! ... A person didn't need to plug themselves in. Not someone of flesh and bone like Rose. Mother was something else."

I did read this book in almost one sitting but it is a long book (340 pages) so I imagine it will suit a reader who enjoys Science Fiction and a reader with strong reading stamina. The story does take quite a few unexpected twists and turns and, as is often the way with Science Fiction, you do need to suspend disbelief especially in relation to the human need for food. The premise is that Rose is the only or the last human and yet at every turn someone is able to supply her with water and food albeit only small quantities. Clearly Humanoid Robots do not need food so I was somewhat confused about why this was so readily available - but as I say, you just need to let that thought go. I did enjoy the early hint that Mother was not quite 'right' but that scene I quoted above still gave me a huge jolt!

The other part of this story that was a little bit strange - but many young readers won't notice this - is the use of names relating to the invention of the computer - Ada (Lovelace); (Charles) Babbage; and Alan Turing.  There are also layers of Pinocchio and I am sure choice of the two furliths (robot animals) that help Rose - fox and rabbit - have some literary significance. There are also references to Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.

In some ways this book made me think of an old movie called Logan's Run and even the famous book The Giver by Lois Lowry. 

Bookseller blurb: Twelve-year-old Rose can't remember anything before last week, when she woke up  not knowing her own name, her own house, or even her own mother. The only thing Rose recognized was her puppy, North. But Mother patiently explained everything - well, not everything. Not the real-feeling dreams Rose has about a mysterious forest she half-recognizes. Or why she is not allowed to stray beyond the garden, out into Luminelle, the vast city surrounding them. Mother is kind and helpful, but Rose can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Or maybe it's everything that's not right?
But then, when Rose flees to the outside world with North, it quickly becomes clear to Rose that she is different. And for reasons she doesn't understand, she's dangerous. On an unforgettable journey of discovery, Rose uncovers life-altering truths about the city she's in, the people around her ... and ultimately herself.

Bookwagon recommends North and the Only Star hugely. This superbly intelligent story is ideal for enquiring, inspired readers. What a magnificent story.

Vashti Hardy has done it again – combining STEM and a futuristic vision with a heartfelt story that leaves readers thinking long after the book is closed. Yet North and the Only One is a completely unique story. It feels different from Vashti’s other adventures. With so much emotion and so much unknown, readers become a part of Rose’s search for truth. Scope for Imagination

Here is the web page for the author Vashti Hardy. She lives in West Sussex.

Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose illustrated by Stephanie Yue

I thoroughly enjoy books where the author creates and maintains an alternate reality.  I love discovering all the little inventions and strategies he or she develops so that as a reader I can believe something so entirely I start to wonder if it might in fact even be true,  Mousenet is a perfect example of this.  Think of Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, The Borrowers, Masterpiece and Tumtum and Nutmeg.

Megan helps her uncle invent a tiny computer which she then names a Thumbtop.  What Megan does not realise is she is being watched - by mice!  The Mouse Nation immediately realise this tiny computer will revolutionize the lives of all mice.  Unknown to humans mice have evolved and they can now use computers and some have even been trained to speak to humans.

Here is a detailed review by Jen Robinson.  My blogger friend Mr K has also written an excellent review.

Here is a picture to show you how mice use human computers and why the Thumbtop will change their lives.

Mousenet is a long book (389 pages) but I read it over two days because it was such fun.  The mice are especially endearing and each has its own quirky personality. This book might make a good family read-a-loud.  I now need to find the sequel Mousemobile.

Here is a little extract to make you smile - three mice will travel with Megan when she is sent to stay with her father and his new wife in Oregon.

"Next, a supply team gathered what was needed for the journey.  They gave each of the mice two small plastic bags, one full of cheese crackers,and the other empty, for poop.  As all mice know, few things in nature disturb humans as much as mouse poop, and a disturbed human can be the most danger mammal on the planet."

Genuine goodwill, humor and impressive believability will have readers longing for mice as friends—not to mention political allies.