Book 280

What-a-Mess, the Beautiful, based on a character created by Frank Muir, Ladybird Books, 1997.

One of my writer friends who lives in Canada recommended the What-a-Mess books for my five-year-old son.  When I saw that the books were based on an English television series, I was both apprehensive and intrigued.  I bought a book, anyway.

What-a-Mess is an Afghan hound.  The only time I've seen Afghan hounds as pet dogs was when I lived in England.  Afghan hounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs, and they tend to be very dignified, and, occasionally, clownish.  What-a-Mess' mother is very dignified...

The illustrations are hilarious, starting with the end-papers.  And it is not often I read a children's book with the word "pong" in it.