Blanksy the Street Cat

A perfect book for children just starting independent reading, with black and white illustrations on every page, a dyslexia-friendly font, with a layout especially designed for early readers. The tale opens as we are introduced to Pete, a busker who travels from town to town, playing his guitar and singing his songs. But Cat notices that they only get a few odd coins in their collecting tin, for most people scurry past, often with heads down and eyes on their phones. Cat hatches a cunning plan and soon he leads Pete to stand and busk in front of brightly coloured walls, covered in seascapes or views of the countryside, with the signature Blanksy added to each one. These are all executed by Cat, Pete having no idea what is going on. Crowds begin to congregate and their tin overflows. Eventually Cat’s artwork is sold at an auction house for a million pounds! Does Pete accept this fortune, and retire, as Cat thought? The towns that they visit are no longer dreary, and the people who stop now feel happy, not weary. Dotted with crochets and quavers and other musical notation, with Pete and his companion Cat as main characters, this is a very lively book with much to recommend it. The pictures, quirky and expressive, are by the World Book Day official illustrator for 2022 and 2023. Great fun.