Erin the Literary Cat

Written by Frances Tosdevin

Cover by Rhian Wright

Front cover image. Author & artist names along the top in blue/green. Against a pale blue tiled background is the book title in red which runs from top to nearly the bottom. The Professor in the book stands to the left with her hand point to the title. The frog is on the bottom right pointing upwards. The newt is standing on the word THESE and points to the word 'SAY'. Along a yellow strip at the bottom are the words "WARNING: This book will not make you laugh-out-loud.

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my latest Book Review featuring this week an earth-saving adventure in KS1/Lower Middle-Grade Fiction.

Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, ready to vacuum up any stray 'naughty' words before they can cause any harm, let's get on with this short but funny review.

AUTHOR: Frances Tosdevin.

Illustrations by: Rhian Wright

Published by: UCLan Publishing

Publication date Paperback: 6 March 2025

Paperback 13 digit ISBN: 978 1916 747 524

UK Cover price for Paperback: £7.99

Amazon KINDLE price: N/A

Pages: 32

Age range: 5 to 8 years

Book size: 280mm x 240mm

SPOILER ALERT

Just a few as to plot direction and characters.

Thank you to...

We are exceedingly grateful to Graeme Williams and UCLan Publishers for offering us a chance to Read & Review this story.

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, received as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their family, friends and students will enjoy.

The plot

The world NEEDS to stop producing Giggle-Gas. That's right, every time we giggle and titter at funny, cheeky words, we create this highly dangerous gas. So much in fact that the world is at risk of whizzing off across the universe like a balloon with a fast leak.

But fear not, dear readers, there is something we can all do. We need to stop giggling at certain funny words. They need to be banned from here on in.

What words, I hear you say?

Well, let me introduce the expert, The Professor. She has created a machine to change all those pesky gigglesome words, such as 'bottom' and 'fart', that cause all the extra giggle-gas.

What are they being changed into is surely the next question you have. And if, dear reader, you did ask that, then you'd be right to.

The Professor's machine has determined that from now onwards, 'Bottom' should be known as 'Floppy Peach-Cheeks' (I won't spoil what 'Fart' is to be known as).

Clearly, this is a vast improvement, and not one atom of giggle-gas has been produced.

Double-page image. It shows a pink and purple machine with the professor standing in front on the right-hand page. The machine is set to digest the word 'bottom'. Two assistants, a frog and what looks like a newt, appear on the left-hand page wearing lab coats. The newt is pouring a bottle of 'Soapy suds' into the side of the machine. Some text on the left advises the word will be changed into something totally unfunny.

We all have to pull together regarding these words and make the world a better safer place. There are more examples of these naughty words and the giggle-gas free alternatives in the text, ably demonstrated by The Professor and her lab coat bedecked animal assistants.

So, young friends, and adult readers, get this book and start to save the world!

So, what did we think?

Honestly, this tale was huge fun, even for Mrs H who read it out to me. Sadly, we both need more practice at restraining our titters, giggles, smirks, sniggers and guffaws.

Clearly aimed at having as much fun as possible, this amazing short tale is brilliantly illustrated throughout; every page in fully glossy colour.

Mrs H assures me that she was once aged five, (though I have my doubts) and thinks that the words would have raised more of an eyebrow and a telling-off back then than they do nowadays.

We both agreed though, that this was like the fun the Minions have with the word now known as 'floppy peach-cheeks' in the Despicable Me films. Which had the unfortunate effect of creating yet more giggle-gas in Upper Much-Mousing, and Mrs H spilling her tea.

Crunch time.

Delightful, funny and easily the best way to encourage reading in the age group, as well as sharing reading with parents, teachers and guardians. Be warned though, there may be uncontrollable giggle-gas free words being banded about for some time after reading this.

Want to buy a copy?

To get a copy, please head down to your local independent bookshop, or order online. There are plenty out there, and each is waiting to serve you whatever kind of mystery, giggle gas free fun and adventure you desire.

Frances Tovdevin's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://francestosdevin.com/

Rhian Wright's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://www.rhianwrightillustration.com/

UCLan Publishing's web page web page can be found HERE or type this: https://uclanpublishing.com/

I hope you enjoyed that giggle-tastic adventure.

OK, for those that have come for little young me, and as it's Sunday, let's get on with a selfie!

After a hard morning dictating the review I decided the best place to nap was in the crux of the fleece. Which pretty much meant Mrs H had to stay out of the bed for the next three hours. Which was fine as I had generated a huge list of tasks that needed doing. :)

What tasks did you get your staff to do so you could nap in peace?

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.