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

A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle by Gwenda Smyth illustrated by Ann James

I started this blog in 2008. It is now 2025 and this is my 4000th blog post. 

In 2018 I wrote about A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle by Gwenda Smyth illustrated by Ann James from 1981 (Shortlisted CBCA 1982).

"Mrs Emmeline Arbuckle needed a pet. ... 'Well of course,' said the gingernut cat. 'You must advertise."  

WANTED - A PET FOR A SWEET OLD LADY. VERY GOOD HOME.

Mrs Arbuckle receives seven letters and sets off around the world to interview the applicants. The gingernut cat goes along too, in case she needs a second opinion.  It is these 'opinions' that add delicious touches of humour to the story. Here are some examples.  

• The armadillo - do you want a ball or a pet? 
• The llama (and her family) - a pet is a pet, and a herd is a herd. 
• Aardvark - Are you going to spend your days finding ants to feed an aardvark? 
• A bear - Take it from me - bear hugs can be very nasty in hot weather.

So what are the qualities of the perfect pet? 

"A pet should go on and on, day after day. A pet should have regular meals and sleep in the same old corner night after night. A pet should be something you can stroke."  

Of course, this perfect pet has been with Mrs Arbuckle all along. Gwenda Smyth has written a delightful text - it reads aloud so well and young readers quickly grasp the joke here that the gingernut cat has worked out exactly how to persuade Mrs Arbuckle that he/she truly is the most perfect pet. 

The text in this book is also set out perfectly - on the left page we read about each of the animals from around the world as they are interviewed by Mrs A. Each has the chance to say why they would be a perfect pet, then on the facing page the gingernut cat supplies the (hilarious) counter argument. 

Ann James describes the text: Her text for the story was such a strong catalyst -the dry humour and playfulness- for the way I tackled the illustrations.

It is all very satisfying for the book characters and the reader.  Perhaps one day someone will republish this wonderful story which contains vibrant illustrations by Ann James depicting a range of settings from around the world and so many different emotions. If you have a copy at home or in your library hold it close.  I always included this book in my library program and it was a winner every time.  There are so many little details to discover and discuss. We usually began by talking about Mrs Arbuckle's husband whom she fondly calls Mr A. Then we used to map her journey on a large world map. You could easily build a whole week of discovery around this picture book.

Last month I was so privileged to visit the home of Ann James. It is filled to the brim with fabulous art from so many famous children's book illustrators (Andrew McLean; Bob Graham; Emma Quay and lots more). While I was there, I mentioned that I love A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle but that I did not have a copy. It was a fantastic surprise when Ann James offered to gift me a copy, and she signed it AND she showed me a photo of the real gingernut cat himself! AND this copy is also signed by the author Gwenda Smyth.  I also learned that this is the first book illustrated by Ann and it came about because a Melbourne bookseller, back in about 1980, advertised in The Australia newspaper for local authors and illustrators to display dummy books and pages from books that they were hoping would be published - and this led to the discovery and publishing of A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle and from there so many more wonderful books. 

Post edits Ann James says: Gwenda (Smyth) and I were friends (at the Publications Branch of the Vic Education Dept.) and we jointly decided to take up the challenge of creating a picture book for the Margareta Webber’s Bookshop invitation in 1979, to unpublished creators! We both had ginger cats and Gwenda (a wonderful storyteller with a delicious sense of humour) wove this story which I couldn’t resist illustrating.  

Margareta Webber really kicked off the Golden Age in picture books with over 300 entries from all over Australia in this call for unpublished picture books! What a marvelously clever and special idea. It was a competition in a way too I remember. The winner was Amy’s Place by Marianne Stafford. So many of us were discovered then and there! Margareta Webber was a book seller from Melbourne Australia who ran a bookstore in McEwan house for nearly 40 years, called The Bookshop of Margareta Webber and opened in 1931.

Wikipedia says: She focused on building an atmosphere of comfort in her bookshop with furnishings, pottery, prints, colourful rugs, and flowers, and she dispensed coffee and sherry. ... She also had an interest in education, particularly in early childhood education, providing literature for the kindergarten movement. The bookshop primarily dealt with new books, however, Webber would on request assist with finding and importing rare and valuable books.

Other books by Gwenda Smyth - A hobby for Mrs Arbuckle (also illustrated by Ann James); The Six Wonders of Wobbly Bridge (illustrated by Roland Harvey); The Famous Wispy Bell (illustrated by Craig Smith); Orlando (illustrated by Mervyn Pywell); and Don't forget the Cheese Pa! (illustrated by Mitch Vane). 

Wispy Bell is sick of being a fairy, dabbling in the dew and wearing a gossamer gown. She wants to ride a skateboard and eat peanut butter sandwiches, like the humans do! Her parents are dismayed at her lack of fairieness, but this is one determined fairy.

You could follow or compare A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle book A Pet for Miss Wright and Wanted: The Perfect pet.

I am celebrating Momotimetoread post 4000! 

And I have selected A pet for Mrs Arbuckle. This book was published in 1981 and that is about the time my journey into the world of children's literature began. I now own two art works by Ann James from It's a Miroocool and Bird and Bear and the Special Day (I talk about this here). I realise now I should have told Ann James how much I adored reading Little Humpty and Lucy Goosey to hundreds of children in my school library. This also seems like a good way to thank the wonderful Ann James (Hans Christian Andersen Award nominee 2019) for her wonderful books and more importantly for her generous contribution to IBBY Australia including these pieces you will find in our Mini Masterpiece art auction which begins on 14th November. 

These are three of the postcard sized art works - there are two more for you to explore. 

Ann also contributed pieces to our first Mini Masterpiece auction and our IBBY promotional flyer also features her work. 

Read more about IBBY Australia here

I am happy that my milestone post features a picture book and a book by an Australian author/illustrator. Here is a statement about picture books that resonates with me:

Picture books help to build young readers one glossy page at a time, and a good picture book is a work of art combining just the right illustrations with just the right words and placing them all together for an enjoyable reading experience. 

There is nothing simple about the benefits of reading picture books with young (and not so young) children. Picture books cultivate an appreciation for art while strengthening a child's visual skills. Before a child can read the words they learn to read the pictures to understand the story. Picture books help children learn about the structure of a story while building their vocabulary and comprehension. Picture books can tell simple and familiar stories or very complex and serious stories, and children are exposed to the big world around them. 

The most important aspect of picture books is how they are shared. They are meant to be a shared experience between a child, or a group of children, and a trusted adult. Reading books together builds a bond that is very special and unique. Contra Costa County Library, CA, USA

Dear Broccoli by Jo Dabrowski illustrated by Cate James

Dear Broccoli,

Last night at dinner you were on my plate. 

AGAIN. 

This is the third time this week.

Please don't come back.

From, 

Frank. 

Dear Frank, 

Thank you so much for writing me a letter.

No one has ever written to me before.

I must say I was touched. And then I was amused - since I am always left untouched on your plate!

I am sorry to hear that you do not want me to return, but

I am afraid I cannot grant your request. 

The matter is out of my florets. 

Your parents decide when I attend.

I suggest you raise your concerns with them.

Yours sincerely, 

Broccoli 

I love the way Broccoli writes - his tone is so serious and also cheeky. These two are the first of a series of letters. Broccoli takes every opportunity to explain his value to Frank but will he convince this young boy to change his mind. 

This book will be an absolutely perfect to read aloud to your group of younger students age 7+. After your reading everyone could write a letter to a vegetable and then the students could swap their letters and write a reply from that same vegetable. Here are some other ideas for using this book with your school group. 

I know we are all supposed to eat five serves of vegetables each day but I will confess I don't always do this. I have all my standard weekly vegetables - potatoes; onion; carrots; pumpkin; cabbage; cauliflower; green beans; peas; corn; mushrooms; spinach; brussels sprouts; celery; lettuce; and I do eat broccoli every week. I am sure, though, that there are other vegetables that I could add to my basket - broccolini (I am not really a fan); kale (I have never eaten this one); snow peas (often a bit too expensive); asparagus (I eat this in season); leeks; baby squash; capsicum; eggplant (not a fan); lentils (never never); fennel (no no no); sweet potato (no); and Swiss chard (I have never even eaten this one).

Of course, as Broccoli himself points out in Dear Broccoli - tomatoes are fruits as is pumpkin. I wonder if rhubarb counts as a vegetable?

Here is an official list of vegetable categories:

Root Vegetables: These are plants whose edible parts grow underground. Examples include carrots, potatoes, beets, radishes, and turnips.

Leafy Greens: Leafy vegetables are known for their tender leaves and high nutrient content. Spinach, kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard fall into this category.

Cruciferous Vegetables: These vegetables belong to the Brassicaceae family and are known for their cross-shaped flowers. Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are cruciferous veggies.

Allium Vegetables: Alliums have a distinctive aroma and include garlic, onions, leeks, and shallots.

Podded Vegetables: These are vegetables enclosed in a pod or shell. Examples are peas, beans, and lentils.

Stem Vegetables: Stem vegetables are plants whose edible parts are stems or stalks. Asparagus and celery are common examples.

Jo Dabrowski is a children’s author and illustrator whose debut middle-grade novel, Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski, was shortlisted for the 2024 Readings Children’s Prize. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.  Cate James is an award-winning illustrator and printmaker from Sydney and Edinburgh.

I am a fan of books that contain letters like this between characters. The official term is epistolary. You might find these examples in your school or public library:

Charlotte's Web by EB White illustrated by Garth Williams

“Attention, please!” he said in a loud, firm voice. “Will the party who addressed me at bedtime last night kindly make himself or herself known by giving an appropriate sign or signal!”

Wilbur has been wishing, out loud, for a friend. Charlotte quietly says she will be his friend, and she tells Wilbur she will meet him the morning. The lines above are from Wilbur - and yes it is the next morning. He wants to find the owner of the voice from last night. Wilbur is about to meet the most special friend - a spider named Charlotte. 

You are sure to remember the classic opening lines of Charlotte's Web:

Where's Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. “Out to the hoghouse,” replied Mrs. Arable. “Some pigs were born last night.” “I don’t see why he needs an ax,” continued Fern, who was only eight. “Well,” said her mother, “one of the pigs is a runt. It’s very small and weak, and it will never amount to anything. So your father has decided to do away with it.” “Do away with it?” shrieked Fern. “You mean kill it? Just because it’s smaller than the others?”

Think about the fact that Fern is eight years old. When she confronts her father about the new baby pig she sure does use some sophisticated and persuasive language:

“But it’s unfair,” cried Fern. “The pig couldn’t help being born small, could it? If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?” Mr. Arable smiled. “Certainly not,” he said, looking down at his daughter with love. “But this is different. A little girl is one thing, a little runty pig is another.” “I see no difference,” replied Fern, still hanging on to the ax. “This is the most terrible case of injustice I ever heard of.”

Fern is also a farm kid. She goes inside and mum has breakfast ready and one of the offerings is bacon! I guess only adults will see this as a little ironic.

EB White is a master of sensory descriptions - take a look at this example:

It smelled of hay and it smelled of manure. It smelled of the perspiration of tired horses and the wonderful sweet breath of patient cows. It often had a sort of peaceful smell—as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world. It smelled of grain and of harness dressing and of axle grease and of rubber boots and of new rope. And whenever the cat was given a fish-head to eat, the barn would smell of fish. But mostly it smelled of hay, for there was always hay in the great loft up overhead.

You could also talk to your writing group about the way EB White makes use of lists in this story:

it was full of all sorts of things that you find in barns: ladders, grindstones, pitch forks, monkey wrenches, scythes, lawn mowers, snow shovels, ax handles, milk pails, water buckets, empty grain sacks, and rusty rat traps.

Flies, bugs, grasshoppers, choice beetles, moths, butterflies, tasty cockroaches, gnats, midges, daddy longlegs, centipedes, mosquitoes, crickets—anything that is careless enough to get caught in my web. I have to live, don’t I?

It was a delicious meal—skim milk, wheat middlings, leftover pancakes, half a doughnut, the rind of a summer squash, two pieces of stale toast, a third of a gingersnap, a fish tail, one orange peel, several noodles from a noodle soup, the scum off a cup of cocoa, an ancient jelly roll, a strip of paper from the lining of the garbage pail, and a spoonful of raspberry jello.

Here, in a small clearing hidden by young alders and wild raspberry bushes, was an astonishing pile of old bottles and empty tin cans and dirty rags and bits of metal and broken bottles and broken hinges and broken springs and dead batteries and last month’s magazines and old discarded dishmops and tattered overalls and rusty spikes and leaky pails and forgotten stoppers and useless junk of all kinds, including a wrong-size crank for a broken ice-cream freezer.

I participate in a children's book club on Facebook and the book for June was Charlotte's Web. I'm fairly sure I didn't read this 1952 book as a child - I think I probably first read it in the 1980s. Today, in preparation for participating in the discussion I re-read Charlotte's Web on my bus trip into the city and then finished the final half this afternoon.

I was very surprised about the parts of the story that I had forgotten, and I was also surprised that I didn't have my expected emotional reaction to the death of beautiful Charlotte. This might be my third reading of this classic book. I did talk about Charlotte's Web here on this blog back in 2012. In that past post I shared some text quotes. Today I read this book on my Kindle so I was easily able to highlight passages that resonated with me - and they are quite different from the ones in my previous post. 

There are some rich words used in this book such as these examples: endure, objectionable, meekly, salutations, a jubilee time, sincere, scruples, compunctions, gullible, forsake, and untenable.

And also some words that are sure to be unfamiliar to young Australian children - wheat middlings, popover, midway, hominy, provender, timothy (it's a type of grass used for hay), and Crackerjack.

I had also forgotten the maths references - money given to the children at the fair and the exact number of eggs in Charlotte's egg sack.

Here is another quote that resonated with me:

Wilbur was modest; fame did not spoil him. He still worried some about the future, as he could hardly believe that a mere spider would be able to save his life. Sometimes at night he would have a bad dream. He would dream that men were coming to get him with knives and guns. But that was only a dream. In the daytime, Wilbur usually felt happy and confident. No pig ever had truer friends, and he realized that friendship is one of the most satisfying things in the world.

Companion books:

Aranea

Some Writer

Here are the famous Charlotte's Web quotes that you are sure to recognise:

“You have been my friend,” replied Charlotte. “That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.

Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson illustrated by Dan Santat

Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?

1. They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.

2. Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.

3. We don't know what they're teaching in their "schools."

4. They are likely plotting our doom.

This book starts out looking quite scientific. There is a description of the cow beside the formal illustration which leads to the conclusion that a cow is a mammal. Although, if you take a closer look at the eye of this cow he does seem to have some thing more to say perhaps. Then we read a description of a snake and conclude this is a reptile and likewise we see a small yellow bird and we know it's a bird because birds have feathers. BUT fish - no you cannot generalise about fish and so they are not to be trusted. I love the way this text persuades the reader that fish are a group of animals with lots of tricks and anomalies - gills or lungs; salt water or fresh; eggs or not; vegetarian or cannibal. There are even fish who have their own lanterns about what about seahorses - did you know they are fish too. But then we meet a little fish we can trust! or do we?

When you read this book a second or third time you might notice the huge fish trying to eat an innocent little crab - wait a minute should you wonder about the narrator of this book? 

The real slammer is the final page - please give your library group or young reading companion time to THINK about this page.

To write a successful funny picture book, you have two audiences you have to appease. You’ve got your adult gatekeepers, the ones who have the dollars in their pockets, and then you have the actual intended audience in the first place: children. Both children and adults, and I mean this truly, are terrible judges of what is funny. This is because kids and parents are not all that different. They both are easily led astray. There are many different ways to appeal to someone, and a book can certainly be funny the first time you read it… and then less and less funny after that. What keeps a book funny after multiple, maybe even hundreds, of reads? Comic timing. The art of the page turn. And the ability to make a book fun to read aloud over and over and over again. SLJ Betsy Bird (read her whole review)

A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on. Kirkus Star review

Here is a video of the author reading his book. Neil Sharpson comes from Ireland. Read this terrific review from Reading bookshop in Melbourne. 

There are so many ways you could use this book with your class

• Just read it for fun - nothing more - and YES that's okay
• Read it after a unit of work on Animal classification with a younger group
• With a group of older students (Grade 4+) read it before a unit of work on Animal classification
• Use this book with primary grades to talk about persuasion
• Use this book with your Grade 5 or 6 students to talk about point of view and also the authority/reliability/trustworthiness of texts we use for research - who wrote this book? Why? Do they have an agenda? How can we check the facts presented here?

One more thing: I am SO puzzled. This is an American book - that's okay they make terrific books - but here in Australia this book in hardcover only costs AUS$20 and even less from chain stores - again that's terrific BUT if this book can be made available for such a great price WHY oh WHY do I investigate so many other US Picture books and then despair when I see them listed for AUS$35-AUS$55!

Companion books:

Except Antarctica

Other books illustrated by Dan Santat:

Barnaby Unboxed! by The Fan Brothers

We all wanted Barnaby to go on a hero’s journey: facing disillusionment, obstacles, and various ordeals, but in the end coming back to his home, 

transformed for the better by his experiences. Fan Brothers

Barnaby is half mouse, half elephant with a dash of flamingo. He has been living in a box on the shelf of a toy shop. His box says he is a perfect pet and fully trained. There are so many perfect pet boxes to choose from. It seems no one is noticing that he is perfect until one day a young girl arrives. Barnaby becomes her very special friend. They do everything together. Best of all they enjoy watching the television series 'Barnaby and Friends'. Sadly though, it is this show that leads to a devastating change. The Perfect Pet company release a new Rainbow Barnaby. 

"The next day, the little girl asked her father if she could have a Rainbow Barnaby."

"The answer was no. Barnaby felt a wave of relief wash over him. But after that, the girl no longer played with him quite as often as she used to ..."

Do you recognise this plot idea - I love you Blue Kangaroo; Ducky's Nest; Arnold, the Prickly Teddy; The Sea Saw; and Finding Monkey Moon.

The little girl no longer takes Barnaby for walks. And one day her father fails to notice that Barnaby is left behind. It is raining and dark and Barnaby is lost. Will he ever find his way back home? And after weeks outside in the rain and dirt will the little girl even recognise him? Is there someone who can help him? 

I have read this book many, many times and the warm happy ending still makes me so emotional. 

Joy, despair, reunion, community—delightfully, all here. Kirkus

Barnaby Unboxed is a simple story, with universal themes, and it is told beautifully. The possibility of interesting and important conversations about exploitation would be a bonus. Just Imagine

There are some valuable themes of found family, what home means, self-worth and finding (and appreciating) what we have. It's a profound little book, and told in age appropriate language, all accompanied by luminous impressionist inspired artwork throughout. Nonstop Reader

It will be exciting to show this book to a group of Teacher-Librarians at a conference next month. The case reveal (pulling off the dust jacket to reveal the image underneath) is a spectacular surprise. And then I can show the brilliant end papers. (You can see these parts of this book here). School libraries here in Australia have very limited budgets but these two books should be added to every collection - yes they are that special! See inside Barnaby Unboxed here. Check out all the books by The Fan Brothers - I have talked about nearly all of them here on this blog. Here is a generous interview between The Fan Brothers and Betsy Bird. 

I previously talked about The Barnabas Project which is the companion volume to Barnaby Unboxed. 

The Barnabus Project

Barnaby Unboxed might make you think of Toy Story. Older readers should look for this middle grade series:

They threw us away

And this powerful book too:

Ollie's Odyssey

Don't feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty illustrated by Chip Wass

The setting here is a national park. Campers are having issues with the local bears who eat any food that they leave out on picnic tables - silly tourists! 

Time for action by the ranger. He erects a sign - DON'T FEED THE BEAR. I guess he did not realise that 1. Bears can read and 2. Bears can write.

Bear retaliates with his own sign - DON'T FEED THE RANGER.

And so the war of words begins. Bear purchases some new merchandise - a tshirt that reads "I am not a bear" and a matching hat "not a bear". The Ranger is not fooled so he adds a footnote to his sign DON'T FEED THE BEAR (no matter what he says).

There is power in that word don't - what happens if you cross it out? FEED THE RANGER, FEED THE BEAR (no matter what). Bear consults his dictionary and adds to his sign feed the ranger rotten eggs and slimy spinach. Of course the Ranger just makes more signs - hey you! Go ahead feed the bear wormy apples and moldy muffins.

None of this is working. Is there a different way to approach this problem. The solution will surprise and delight you. Oh and then you will want to make some smores - marshmallows and chocolate between graham crackers. Here is a recipe to use in a kitchen if you don't have a handy camp fire.

Image Source: Coles Australia supermarket

Here is the website for Kathleen Doherty. I am happy to see this book from 2018 is still available and the hard cover edition is a really good price. And here is the even cheaper paperback.

Chip Wass is an award-winning artist who designs characters and illustrations for Disney, Cartoon Network, The New York Times, ESPN, and Wendy’s. His previous books include Monster Knows Patterns, and Monster Knows Numbers (Picture Window Books).

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood story from China by Ed Young

"Once, long ago, there was a woman who lived alone in the country with her three children, Shang, Tao, and Paotze. On the day of their grandmother's birthday, the good mother set off to see her, leaving the three children at home."

So what will the children do when a wolf, disguised as an old woman, knocks on their door. She claims to be their Po Po or grandmother and using very persuasive language and the children open the door and let her in. She immediately blows out the candle. In the darkness the children gradually realise this is all a trick.

"Po Po your foot has a bush on it." - it is hemp strings to weave you a basket.

"Po Po your hand has thorns on it."  it is an awl to make shoes for you.

Luckily these three children are very clever. They tell Po Po about some delicious ginko nuts in a high tree outside. Make sure you also think about the pattern of three in the story.

Lon Po Po won the Caldecott Medal in 1990. This ensures that it stay in print and here in Australia the paperback version is available for a lower price. This week I am talking about books written and illustrated by Ed Young because he sadly died very recently. 

Listen to this Fuse8n'Kate podcast where Betsy Bird and her sister talk in depth about Lon Po Po. 

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a huge list of other Red Riding Hood stories. Look for these:

This one is a wordless book that I am very keen to read.