August 1, 2017
Gr 2-4-Porridge the Tartan Cat addresses readers directly in a sassy brogue in this humorous Scottish import. Porridge lives in Tattiebogle Town with twin siblings Ross and Isla, their parents, and Gadget Grandad and Groovy Gran (collectively known as The Big Yins). Varying typefaces emphasize Porridge's frequent exclamations, such as "Me-yawn, me-oops, or me-yum." In Bash-Crash-Ding, the children spend a week with Groovy Gran who is trying to get her old band, the Tattie Scones, back together for a reunion concert to benefit the children's school. Former bandmates Biff McBash and Scruff McDuff are easy enough to track down, but Rab McDrab has been missing for years. As the family searches for him, they are foiled at every turn by the Dug-o-Doom, a large hairy, scary dog. In Brawsome Bagpipes, the twins (and Porridge, of course) spend an adventure-filled week with Gadget Grandad, purveyor of such inventions as a "tripewriter" (a typewriter that spits out sensible advice, no matter what you type into it) as Grandad battles with his archenemy, Fergus McFungus. Fergus has stolen a page out of the famed Splotter's Guide To Cooking Up Trouble and is planning something dastardly. Frequent line illustrations reminiscent of Quentin Blake enrich the story's zippy pace and comedic effect. The books are appended with a few pages of puzzles, word games, and kid-friendly jokes. VERDICT Readers will enjoy the surprise endings, unusual characters, and absurd humor. Some Scottishisms may trip up new readers, but these books work wonderfully as silly read alouds.-Madigan McGillicuddy, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, GA
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