Maybelle in the soup by Katie Speck illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos

Cockroach rules:

When it's light stay out of sight.

If you're spied, better hide.

Never meet with human feet.

Maybelle breaks each of these rules with hilarious consequences. Yum - Turtle Soup. She didn't see any turtles but the broth and tomatoes smell SO good. Yes, she lands in the soup tureen. Everyone runs away from the dinner party which means Maybelle can feast on the tasty leftovers scattered all over the dining table including the special cream desert. Unfortunately, she is caught by the cat, but she is not eaten - Maybelle is given as a gift to the homeowner Mrs Peabody. Ramona the cat is sure Mrs Peabody will LOVE this gift. Mr Peabody fails to stomp on Maybelle, but the humans call in the pest exterminators. Luckily this means the Peabody's need to spend the night in a fancy hotel. Luckily Maybelle and her friend a flea named Henry are able to stow away and spend the night at the hotel too and of course there are sure to be more adventures there!

Blurb: Maybelle is a lovely, plump cockroach. She lives in her own cozy little home under the refrigerator of Mr. and Mrs. Peabody. Maybelle knows it's best to stay hidden away, but she simply adores food. Just once she would love to taste something yummy before it hits the floor!When the Peabodys invite a Very Important Guest for dinner, Maybelle can't resist. She takes a teeny taste--and splashes into the biggest adventure of her life!

This little book (the first in a series of four) was published in 2007. I wonder why I haven't seen it on the numerous read aloud lists I seem to see on social media - they often contain old titles - this book would be such a fun one to read aloud to a Grade 2 or 3 class or in a family. Yes, this book is out of print but the ebook version is still available. 

Here is the Kirkus Star review: Myrtle and Herbert Peabody, the picture of upper-class gentility, have their lives turned upside down by a lovely, plump cockroach named Maybelle. Living in a house that is dust and bug free is a challenge for the cockroach, but she follows The Rules: “When it’s light, stay out of sight; if you’re spied, better hide; never meet with human feet.” Maybelle loves food but she is sick of crumbs and spills and longs for the tasty food she spies on the Peabody's plates. Despite the warning of her friend Henry the Flea, Maybelle visits the Very Special Dinner table. Delightful details will make adults giggle right along with new readers. References to Herbert’s comb-over, his wife’s false eyelashes and illustrations that show the drama of an airborne roach and the bottom of Herbert’s monstrous shoe add up to a lot of fun, especially for reading aloud. Maybelle is one cockroach who will be welcome back any day.

I am not in flavor of the prescriptive paid writing programs that are in use in many Australian classrooms but if you need to demonstrate one of the concepts that these programs 'teach' children - then this book is perfect one to show 'tightening tension' at work.

Here are the four books from the series:

In 2022 my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything penned a blog post about Cockroach appreciation. Here are some companion books that I thought of:

The Miniature World of Marvin and James

Quentin's lunch

The cat that scratched by Jonathan Long illustrated by Korky Paul

Here is a puzzle. I think these two covers and different titles are actually the same book.  I am guessing the title changed when the book was reprinted in 2009.  We own the one called The cat that scratched.

I have been making a collection of rhyming picture books and picture books which contain a story poem.  The Cat that Scratched is a fairly old book first published in 1997 but it contains a terrific story with a repeated refrain which means it will work very well as a read-a-loud.

The illustrations are also very special.  Korky Paul is famous as the illustrator of the Winnie the Witch series.


"There once was a cat with a terrible itch.  She had fleas in her fur which was making her twitch."

The pesky flea refuses to go.
"Ha ha ha,' said a voice, all tiny and teasy.  'To get rid of me won't be nearly that easy."







There are some wonderful words in this book :

teasy

bothersome

scritched

catastrophe

nigglesome

pernickety

This poor beleaguered cat tries everything.  She shakes and spins.  Tries using a vacuum cleaner.  She asks the hairdresser to comb, curl and clip.  The scene where she puts herself through the car wash is amazing. "Scrub-dub-dub, it went, duba-scrub-scrub. And rolled her around like a sock in a tub."

Finally the cat decides she just has to live with this itch.  She sets off down the road where she encounters a scene of great panic because a lion has just escaped from the zoo.  I will leave you to guess at the possible ending.

You might like to follow this book with a couple more about fleas.  Scritch Scratch by Miriam Moss, Mr McGee and the biting flea by Pamela Allen, The very itchy bear by Nick Bland and for a book with a different viewpoint coincidentally also illustrated by Korky Paul take a look at Tiny by Paul Rogers.