
Price: £6.99
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: 5-8 Infant/Junior
Length: 32pp
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Squishy McFluff: Tea with the Queen
Illustrator: Ella OkstadChildren already familiar with this popular series will welcome this new Squishy McFluff adventure, this time in picture book form. Ava has a cat, a very special cat, the best kitten EVER, because he is invisible. Together they share adventures including bouncing, bowling, yelling, hopping; swinging, skating falling and flopping. Mum has organised a trip to London to see the sights, so of course Squishy comes too. They see the palace and sit near the guards wearing tall, furry hats. When baby needs a feed and Dad has a blister, Ava is BORED. So she tells Squishy there is time to sneak into the palace and hunt for the Corgi of whom she has heard tell. Oh, and there is Corgi, on her velvety cushion, one eye on Squishy behind the curtain, but the dog is listening to this old lady, who looks like Ava’s Nan, reading aloud to her dog. ‘Beef Wellington? Ham hock? Roast chicken? A steak? Mineral water or a doggie-choc shake?’ Realisation comes to Ava and amazed by her stumbling upon the Queen, she introduces herself and of course, Squishy. The Queen finds the invisible cat a most interesting concept, never before having met one, and Ava and Squishy, are invited to stay for tea. Maybe the Queen’s favourite, hot cheese on toast? Tucked up safely in bed that night, Ava reminisces. Any day out with Squishy could never be boring. This is a book to make any child who has ever had an imaginary friend or pet empathise with and enjoy this tale. The pictures are bright and quirky and tell more in the story than the text itself.