Ralf

Jean Jullien
Frances Lincoln
ISBN: 9781847808189
RRP: $19.99

Ralf is without doubt a sausage dog though not a usual one, being in the size long range. He doesn’t have to go to any lengths to end up in trouble – he naturally gets tangled in mischief. One day he gets tangled in the electric cord of the iron. Quel disaster! That night the iron is left on – smoke! Quel another disaster! He must save his family and in a significant stretch of imagination he does. This is giggle-rich humour for young readers who won’t be surprised that Ralf’s family still loves him after all – even if he now has to coil up like a python to sit on their laps. The illustrations are comical and stylised, in flat colour with heavy black outlines. Their simplicity is a foil to the madness of the tale.

Books reviewed for 11.02.16

There’s a big stage musical performing in town at the moment so here are some books about cats.

Remarkably Rexy

Craig Smith
Allen & Unwin
9781760113940
RRP: $24.99

The endpapers of the book show how Rexy’s presence dominates the neighbourhood – at least, that’s how Rexy sees it. But he needs to keep up with Pamela the pure-bred Siamese; she is so obviously trying to become the centre of the children’s attention. One day, Towser, the angry pug mix, chases poor Pamela straight down the street. Is this Rexy’s chance to regain his top-kid’s-cat status? An outrageously humorous text pokes fun at Rexy, building his ego and subverting it at the same time. The vigorous and comical illustrations audaciously appeal directly to a child’s sense of humour.

Lara of Newtown

Chris McSkimmie
Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781760112325
RRP: $29.99

Lara is a cat of a different cut. She is moved from owner to owner at first; finally she is dumped in the middle of nowhere. We all feel so sorry for her. Then the Kafoops from Newtown pass by, take her home and name her. They are a little eccentric but that is perfect for this cat. She has unusual surroundings to explore, and unusual characters to love. Children are drawn immediately to the signature child-like illustrations – it’s like reading their own drawings but more fascinating. There are plenty of visual jokes along the way; the image on the last page is recognisable to everyone, as Lara sleeps atop four folded fluffy towels, just as a perfect princess deserves.

Apocalypse Miaow Miaow

James Proimos III, illustrated by James Proimos Jr
Bloomsbury Books
ISBN: 9781408868157
RRP: $11.99


Finally, the promised sequel to Apocalypse Bow Wow and it is just as bizarre. Our intrepid survivors of the apocalyptic holocaust have made good use of the super-market they claimed. Now they are out of food. It is said that the abandoned Twonkies factory nearby is being guarded by a cat. If only it had been said what kind of cat it was! How this ragtail gang blunders into a solution to gain control of the Twonkies is absurdly hilarious. Read this book in one sitting – zany one page illustrations with madcap speech bubble captions shouldn’t be too hard. Survival reading for anyone worried about the end of the World.