Fuddles and Puddles

07/06/2021

Book Review: “Fuddles and Puddles” written and illustrated by Frans Vischer

Fuddles is perfectly happy with his life as a pampered housecat. His perfect world comes crashing down when his family adds a new pet to their home—a puppy that they name Puddles. His mom expects Fuddles to become friends with Puddles, but Fuddles has other ideas. Puddles becomes the bane of his existence—until a near-tragic accident from which Puddles emerges as a hero.

Sometimes the best of friends come out of the most unlikely pairings, and this is what Frans Vischer’s delightful story is all about.  With delightful illustrations that hover between realism and cartoon art, we see Fuddles and Puddles engage in typical dog and cat behaviors ang them interacting together.  Fuddles’ expressions of dismay, annoyance and even anger are instantly recognizable, while Puddles grows from a tiny, “wets-the-floor” puppy to a hero dog while making readers want to pet and cuddle him.

While obviously fun for kids who are adding another pet to their home, this book is also great reading for children expecting a new sibling, going to school or preschool for the first time, and those who love cats and dogs in general.  The text and the pictures are entertaining and relatable, and kids and their caregivers will enjoy reading it together. You can find it here.