Tag John Bond

Hamster Heroes

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Hamster Heroes
Peter Bently and John Bond
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Following on from their terrific Dogs in Disguise and Cats in Chaos, team Bently and Bond present another pet-themed picture book. Here a team of courageous hamsters respond to calls from Hero HQ and proceed to take on alien gerbils invading from outer space. Those are immediately seen off by PomPom aka Hammerham and her trusty massive mallet.

But a second threat soon follows in the form of giant chinchilla, Chinzilla. This time Jiffy, transforms into Superham and sends the monster packing.

Snack time is underway when their broccoli feast is rudely interrupted by another call: their worst enemy Goldenpaw Guinea-Pig is on the screen with his dastardly weapon threatening to vamoosh with the entire world supply, right under the noses of the snackers.

However he’d reckoned without Pushkin morphing into The Bulk and along with the other super hamsters, giving chase. Hurrah for those hamster heroes and hurrah for pulling off an awesome rescue of this reviewer’s favourite vegetable – bonus accolades for that and have a good snooze, you super-pets.

Peter’s deliciously silly rhyming narrative combined with John’s wacky scenes of the super-hamsters in action, deliver what will surely become a story time favourite with young listeners at home, or in the classroom or nursery.

Cats in Chaos

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Cats in Chaos
Peter Bently and John Bond
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Moggy mayhem it most certainly is in this superb presentation from team Bently and Bond, their laugh-out-loud follow up to Dogs in Disguise.

Peter has taken the predilections of cats and woven them into an action-packed show-stopping treat with all the most entertaining circus acts you could imagine, and many you can’t until you see them in John Bond’s sensational scenes that overflow with warmth and wittiness. There are conjurors, a dog tamer, a cannonball cat, a juggling clown, trapeze artists and an amazing balancing act – look out for a friendly favourite from children’s TV among the throng;

but these are just some of the awesome artists that the mischievous mouse distracts at each and every opportunity.

Peter’s naming of the entertainers is splendidly silly and sometimes alliterative; children will adore even EVEL KATNEVEL ;

his wordplay is wonderful too; then there’s fun onomatopoeia – all this in a cleverly structured rhyming text that trips off the tongue and comes full circle to cats snoozing and snuggling – mostly anyhow.

Share this with a class or group and I guarantee there will be instant cries for an encore and pleas for further repeat performances. Give it to a single child or a few together and they will spend ages pouring over (maybe pawing over) the delicious details of disarray on every spread.

Dogs in Disguise

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Dogs in Disguise
Peter Bently and John Bond
Harper Collins Children’s Books

In a hilarious, bouncy rhyming text, Peter Bently introduces a veritable virtuoso performance by ingenious canines. Each successfully infiltrates some kind of humans’ place disguised in garments garish, gaudy, smart, stylish, sporty, trendy, minimal, or sometimes just plain silly and even, if unpractised in the art of deception, terrible. Clad in gear ‘borrowed’ from their places of residence, they wander the streets, strutting their stuff, then stroll into shops – we see them – that ‘pair of OLD SCHNAUZERS’ ‘there, in PINK TROUSERS …’ ; while others gain admittance to seriously cool cafes like this one

Others with a sporty inclination cleverly compete in jujitsu – that’s CHARLENE the SHIH-TZU, or splash around in the swimming pool. We view one trying its paws at a tonsorial establishment, whereas that Frenchie family might simultaneously be gorging themselves on goodies at the theatre.

Now all of this requires training from an early age; but if like Barney one tries to be just a tad too clever, there’s the danger of embarrassing moments down at the park.

With their bright blocks of colour and superbly expressive eyes, John Bond’s illustrations are the perfect match for Peter’s wacky words.

Perfect for pooch lovers, fashionistas and anybody who likes a good giggle.

Mini Rabbit Not Lost

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Mini Rabbit Not Lost
John Bond
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Mini Rabbit has a particular penchant for cake and seemingly nothing will stop him from getting the vital ingredients he needs to make one. A lack of berries sees him rushing off in search of same with but one thought in his mind ‘Must have cake, cake … cake … cake’.

Turning down offers of help on the way …

the little creature heads down to the beach and off out to sea. What is the fellow thinking? Well we know the answer to that, don’t we.

His search becomes a quest of epic proportions as he traverses dangerous stretches of water, climbs to enormous heights and dangles himself over precipitous ledges.

Far from home Mini Rabbit eventually comes to this conclusion –

That’s when a delicious smell suddenly sends his nostrils into overdrive. He even makes a small discovery that, when he finally makes his way back home, he presents to his Mother. She too has something to present to Mini Rabbit.

It doesn’t quite receive the reception she’d been anticipating though.

This thoroughly delicious story is, unbelievably, John Bond’s debut picture book. He cleverly shows but never tells how on several occasions Mini Rabbit fails to notice berry locations, something observant youngsters will delight in pointing out. They will delight too in the final punch-line, but I won’t spoil it by revealing what that is. Instead I suggest you get hold of a copy of this tasty book and relish the whole thing yourself (along with one or many small listeners of course).