The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and twenty-three

Last week, as per usual, I got several packets and boxes of books from publishers. When I opened one from Simon and Schuster, I pulled out a book that immediately caught my attention. The name of the book was endearing and the cat character on the cover looked funny. Right there and then I began to read the book out loud to myself and my daughter. In no time we were captivated by the hilarious story of Fuddles, a cat who has no idea that you need real survival skills to cope in the big world outside.

I would like to present...

Fuddles

Frans Vischer

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-9155-7

   Fuddles is a house cat who is fat, spoiled, and “pampered.” All he does is eat, sleep, and go to the litter box, and his every need is provided for. One day Fuddles decides that perhaps he needs to do more with his life. Perhaps the time has come to go outside - to answer the call of the wild.

   With great determination, Fuddles prepares for his adventure by exercising, practicing climbing, and sharpening “his hunting skills.” Fuddles is sure that he is going to do very well out there in the wild world.

   At last Fuddles gets his chance, and he manages to escape from the house when none of the people are looking. He quickly gets down to work. Carefully he stalks some birds, but when he leaps into the air with feline grace to catch his prey, the pork chops that he ate last night weigh him down and he ends up taking an unintended bath in the bird bath.

   Wet and feeling decidedly grumpy, Fuddles hears some squirrels laughing at him. Fuddles is going to teach those squirrels a lesson that they will never forget; he will climb that tree and show them. Or perhaps not. Trees are rather hard to climb when you have never done it before.

   In this delightfully amusing picture book, we meet a cat who discovers, the hard way, that life in the great outdoors might not be as fun as it looks. Who knew that the outdoors could be so confusing, complicated, and dangerous.

   With deliciously funny illustrations and a main character who is wonderfully lovable, this picture book is sure to amuse and entertain young readers.