The Dreadful Fluff

by Aaron Blabey

Serenity's life was perfect.
But then she discovered something perfectly awful . . .
The Dreadful Fluff!

The world's first book about evil belly-button fluff.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Monsters, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 24, 2012

About the author

Aaron is an Australian author of children's books and artist who until the mid-2000s was also an actor. His award winning picture books include Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon and the best-selling Pig the Pug.

In the field of acting, he is probably best known for his lead roles in two television dramedies, 1994's The Damnation of Harvey McHugh, for which he won an Australian Film Institute Award, and 2003's CrashBurn, before retiring from performance in 2005.

Reviews

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this is hysterical. Yes, a bit strange but funny all the less. Gotta love Aaron Blabey!

[Mr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, super creepy fluff and pictures.

[Jill Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serenity Strainer was perfect.
But then she discovered something perfectly awful . . .

The Dreadful Fluff!

This is a hilarious book that I'm sure will have children and their parents appalled at The Dreadful Fluff and its horrible antics. Serenity wouldn't let it go too far. She stopped the fluff and kept her family safe.

From the award-winning author of Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, Sunday Chutney, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon, Noah Dreary and The Brothers Quibble.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serenity Strainer is perfect ... until a bit of her belly button fluff comes out. And it was evil! The fluff begins picking up pocket lint, carpet bits and dust bunnies. It grows so big that it starts devouring members of Serenity's family: the cat, her mom and her brother, Tug. But when it goes after the baby, Serenity has had enough and she brings out the vacuum cleaner.

On the surface, a funny story. But underneath is a great message for older kids about battling perfectionism.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I was reading it in the library. I was doing my best to not laugh real loud. I think the person at the table in front of me and the one at the table behind definitely heard me but didn’t say anything. I held up the book and said I’m trying I’m almost done. When done I closed the book and said I’m gonna buy this book

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dreadful Fluff was weird and wacky. A perfect child’s belly button fluff comes alive and eats her cat, mother and brother. The ending was dark - the child becomes proud of her imperfections (belly button fluff, ear wax etc) but her mother and brother are now obsessed with cleaning and terrified of being attacked again.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was funny and cute but nothing too memorable. It's about a girl who is perfect until she discovers evil belly button fluff and things go kind of wild. Kids that like gross things (farts, puke, etc.) will probably enjoy this book more than I did.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite. I ordered this for our library because the kids love anything from Aaron Blabey. This one’s ridiculous and funny, which makes for an entertaining read but I won’t be using it for a library lesson.

Story: 3
Illustrations: 3
Read-aloud: 4

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was... different. A girl is perfect at everything she does until one day she has belly button lint. And the belly button lint is evil. I found this story good but also strange. I enjoyed the illustrations.

[Megan Melindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully gross and funny children’s book that “goes there”. If you enjoyed the Pig the Pug books, you will also certainly enjoy this.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

She loved the insanity of this book. I feel like it could easily be turned into a metaphor about facing your fears.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eww! Gross. Hahahahaha!

What a fun way to deal with the topic of perfection.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

i see where this book shines, but holy moly weird

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd concept for a book and dare I say it was pretty dreadful.

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story about evil bellybutton lint, with a resourceful heroine, with a vacuum.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book so much even on this, my hundredth reading. An excellent intro to the horror genre for little people. Brilliant, no namby pamby lovely dovey kids book.

[Melissa Entzminger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and gross

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when a bit of belly button lint goes wild and decides to eat your family? Kids who love a bizarre, slightly scary, and big-time gross-out yarn will love this.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Further to my attempt to increase my knowledge of children's picture books with quality stories and brilliant illustrations I have continued with my reading of Aaron Blabey picture story books.

The Dreadful Fluff is everything a child could want in a story. It is the first story in the world ever written about evil belly button fluff.

This belly button fluff is so evil but it nose instantly how to make itself grow and become invincible, but not everyone is invincible, in fact very few people are and so like every good children's storybook must end, the evil belly button fluff is defeated and becomes only the beginning of an evil bodily fluid and fluff defeat collection.

Life isn't perfect, I think that's what the moral of this story is and like all of his other stories this one is not short of morals and constructive messages for children. Perhaps not one that I would recommend instantly but definitely recommended reading if you like his stories and are looking for something that is slightly out of the ordinary and perhaps a good addition to the collection of a girl who likes to read gross stories.

This had me a girl of 26 years, laughing out loud as I read it. I can imagine myself as child enjoying this story.

[Villa Park Public Library]

Serenity Strainer seems to be totally perfect in every way. That is, until she finds an evil ball of lint living in her bellybutton! It immediately escapes and starts doing disgusting things, eventually eating her family members. How will she get them back? Will she overcome her perfect demeanor and become a warrior in the battle against the Dreadful Fluff? This is a funny and silly story that serves as an important reminder that no one has to be perfect all the time and that if we don’t confront our fears, they will consume us.

Check this book out at the Villa Park Public Library!:
https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/client/en_US/vpd/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:2655196/ada?qu=dreadful+fluff&lm=VPD

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron Blabey deserves every accolade. Sometimes with just one word, and his larger-than-life, magical illustrations, he can convey complete understanding. 'Perfect... Perfect.... Perfect... Perfect'!
Yes, Serenity Strainer was perfect indeed, but as she faces the putrid challenge of a lifetime - the Dreadful Fluff - she is initially fazed, but then finds herself more than equal to the task.
Cheeky humour for little ones!

[Shallowreader VaVeros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron Blabey’s The Dreadful Fluff! Amazing amazing amazing rhyme, grime, violence and perfection. The world's first evil belly button fluff. Loved it. And I adore Serenity Strainer.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dreadful Fluff by Aaron Blabey – What an unexpected book! I enjoyed reading about a perfect girl who discovers a piece of dreadful fluff in her belly button.

[Cass A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's picture book. Rollicking good fun, but quite disgusting too!

[Sharlene Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly gross!!

[Kathryn Beek]

Fun to read and filled with great twists and visual humour.