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Squishy McFluff #1
Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat!
From the funniest voice in young fiction today, t he first in an irresistible series for young readers about imaginary friends in hilarious rhyming text and with adorable illustrations by Ella Okstad.'Can you see him? My kitten? Close your eyes tightHis fur is so soft and all silvery whiteImagine him quick! Have you imagined enough?Oh, good, you can see him! It's Squishy McFluff!'When Ava discovers an imaginary cat in the cabbage patch, she knows she's found a new best friend. Together, Ava and Squishy McFluff get up to all kinds of mischief . . .Told in full colour throughout, this is the perfect stepping stone from picture books to older fiction. Bright new talent Pip Jones gives a hilarious, quirky twist to everyday experiences for readers aged 5+.'A surefire hit.' Guardian'Charming.' The Times'Bound to ensure catisfaction.' Independent'Cleverly bridging the gap between picture books and longer fiction, the lovable Squishy is certain to be a success with under-sevens.' BookTrust'In delightful rhyme reminiscent of Dr Seuss, this charmingly illustrated book is bound to become a bedtime fave.' Gurgle
81 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2014
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Pip Jones
76 books38 followersPip was born in Cheltenham, UK, where she spent her childhood gobbling up books and dreaming about being an author herself. At the age of 19, she began a career in journalism, writing and editing for local and national newspapers and magazines. After the births of her daughters, Pip began writing for parenting magazines and websites. In 2012, she won the inaugural Greenhouse Funny Prize, with a series of stories about Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat, who Pip had based on her elder daughter's 'real' imaginary kitten. The first book in the series was published by Faber Children's in 2014. Pip's first picture book, Daddy's Sandwich, was published by Faber Children's in May 2015 and was shortlisted in the Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards Picture Book category in the same year. Pip continues to write the Squishy McFluff series, and a raft of new titles are planned in the coming three years, including three further picture books, and a new young reader series. Watch this space!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 12, 2021
I wish I had read the goodreads blurb instead of the one on the actual book, which suggests that a girl and an invisible cat will have some mild friend adventures.
What I got was a tired story about a little girl who blames her naughty misbehaviors on an imaginary friend (yawn) narrated as a twee poem.
The illustrations were okay.
What I got was a tired story about a little girl who blames her naughty misbehaviors on an imaginary friend (yawn) narrated as a twee poem.
The illustrations were okay.
September 28, 2014
Meet Ava and Squishy McFluff, her delightful invisible cat. There is a fair degree of naughtiness and it seems that this little kitten is often to blame . . . Adorable early chapter book - the rhymes make the reading go all the more smoothly. Perfect for a read aloud/buddy reading experience. British references will have to be explained in North America. Cute illustrations.
June 18, 2018
As a cat lover, I wanted to love this....but, I just couldn't. It was boring and unbelievable. The child came across as a brat, and the cat was played-out to be a straight-up troublemaker at all times.
January 12, 2018
Great rhyming story about an invisible cat called Squishy McFluff and the not so imaginary trouble he gets into. It’s all according to his young owner Amy. It’s all his fault. As she learns even McFluff (and herself) have to be good at times and not make a mess in their imaginary play. Great for young readers introducing them to poetry and rhymes and for parents reading a bedtime story. 5 stars all round!!
February 21, 2018
Absolutely adorable and beautifully illustrated. I feel like someone dropped by my childhood and wrote a book length poem about it. Fabulous. Read it on my 8.5 year old son’s recommendation.
April 4, 2018
Oh, the language! The rhymes! The cute illustrations! Lovely series for young readers.
April 5, 2018
This is just delightful. Now I want an invisible cat of my own! I'm sure he won't be anything like as good as Squishy McFluff though.
May 13, 2018
Very sweet, with an adorable rhyming scheme and gorgeous, muted palette of mauve and dusty teal.
June 22, 2020
I am familiar with Pip Jones’ hilarious tales of an arrogant, yet loveable, guinea pig by the name of Piggy Handsome (readers of 7+ should definitely check these out) but this was my first read of one of her books written for emerging readers. In Squishy McFluff, Jones has created another equally memorable character who causes plenty of mischief that will have children laughing their heads off.
When Ava finds a cat in the vegetable patch of her garden they soon become the best of friends. Yes, Squishy McFluff might be invisible, but that won’t stop him and Ava having all sorts of fun and causing all manner of mischief.
This is a very cute rhyming story about a young girl called Ava and her trouble-making, yet loveable, invisible cat. The text is easily accessible to younger readers and the rhyming phrasing makes for a great read-a-loud as long as you can do it without laughing! The story is illustrated by Ella Okstad and she has produced charming and cute drawings using a limited colour palette (shades of blues and pinks).
Squishy McFluff is a perfect read for children who are in need of a read that has more text than a picture book whilst still maintaining all the appeal of a picture book with illustrations on almost every page. The inclusion of chapters definitely make it feel like a more grown-up read which I’m sure young children will delight in.
A read that is brilliant fun and a must read for any child who has ever had an imaginary friend. Recommended for 5+.
When Ava finds a cat in the vegetable patch of her garden they soon become the best of friends. Yes, Squishy McFluff might be invisible, but that won’t stop him and Ava having all sorts of fun and causing all manner of mischief.
This is a very cute rhyming story about a young girl called Ava and her trouble-making, yet loveable, invisible cat. The text is easily accessible to younger readers and the rhyming phrasing makes for a great read-a-loud as long as you can do it without laughing! The story is illustrated by Ella Okstad and she has produced charming and cute drawings using a limited colour palette (shades of blues and pinks).
Squishy McFluff is a perfect read for children who are in need of a read that has more text than a picture book whilst still maintaining all the appeal of a picture book with illustrations on almost every page. The inclusion of chapters definitely make it feel like a more grown-up read which I’m sure young children will delight in.
A read that is brilliant fun and a must read for any child who has ever had an imaginary friend. Recommended for 5+.
November 23, 2023
I was ready to love this – the rhymes and metre flow well, the idea of the invisible cat works, the illustrations are sweet and the exposition in chapter 1 is lovely – but I was surprised by chapters 2 and 3 suddenly turning to a slightly moralising and threatening tone. I believe that mischievousness in children is an important and not at all harmful theme for children to explore through literature, but I felt there were two problems in Jones' approach: Ava's motivations and imaginative storylines involving the cat that led to the messes and pranks in chapter 2 were not explained, so the results of her mischief just seemed a little too "bad" without context. And her mother's attempts to "get rid" of the cat by inventing a departure storyline for her daughter's imaginary pet in chapter 3, while they entered into Ava's imaginary world, seemed quite antagonistic to the charming principal conceit of the story. The Great Grandad's intervention in the end likewise seemed quite severe a response to Ava's flights of fancy – the threat of abandonment by her imaginary friend lest she "train" him better and the great grandfather's allusions to punishment as an effective parenting tool might be quite shocking to a younger child enamoured by the idea of Squishy McFluff. This overall just gave the otherwise sweet story a bit of a negative ring towards the second half that I did not anticipate.
September 1, 2021
Ava has an imaginary cat, Squishy McFluff, that gets into all sorts of trouble and predicaments! Squishy is super mischievous until Mom has had enough and finds ways to send Squishy off on various trips. To her dismay, Squishy always comes back. But then Ava's granddad comes and he's able to set everything straight.
Loved the creativity that granddad had to enter into the play with Ava and her imaginary cat, and yet also solving the problem of Squishy's naughty antics. Very cute and would be a good discussion starter with young elementary kids to see how they understand the story and everything going on.
Loved the creativity that granddad had to enter into the play with Ava and her imaginary cat, and yet also solving the problem of Squishy's naughty antics. Very cute and would be a good discussion starter with young elementary kids to see how they understand the story and everything going on.
July 12, 2017
The Invisible Cat! by Pip Jones (Squishy McFluff series)
Ava was playing outside when she found an invisible cat! Well, she could see it, but no one else was able. Ava brought the invisible cat home and named him Squishy McFluff. Since Squishy McFluff was invisible, he ate invisible food and visited an invisible vet, which went a long way towards keeping the costs of caring for a cat down. Ava's mom becomes frustrated when Squishy McFluff starts causing all sorts of mischief around the house and decides that the invisible cat is no longer welcome in her home! A charming book told in verse, this is an excellent choice for first and second graders. Candace J Fiction
Ava was playing outside when she found an invisible cat! Well, she could see it, but no one else was able. Ava brought the invisible cat home and named him Squishy McFluff. Since Squishy McFluff was invisible, he ate invisible food and visited an invisible vet, which went a long way towards keeping the costs of caring for a cat down. Ava's mom becomes frustrated when Squishy McFluff starts causing all sorts of mischief around the house and decides that the invisible cat is no longer welcome in her home! A charming book told in verse, this is an excellent choice for first and second graders. Candace J Fiction
August 3, 2017
Adorable!
August 25, 2017
Illustrated by Ella Okstad.
Funny, quirky and charming - Ava & her invisible cat Squishy McFluff get up to all sorts of mischief...delightful!
Funny, quirky and charming - Ava & her invisible cat Squishy McFluff get up to all sorts of mischief...delightful!
January 10, 2018
A lovely rhyming story about a girl and her invisible cat. Ava is a delightful character!
October 3, 2018
The illustrations in this book are wonderful. This book is funny and was just a great book overall.
December 11, 2018
Very cute, very British. I enjoyed the second story more since there seemed to be more going on.
January 6, 2022
Perfect for my 5 year old!
August 25, 2022
Hilarious and adorable!
December 17, 2022
An invisible cat who gets into all sorts of mischief. Squishy McFluff is so much fun.
November 22, 2023
Very sweet rhyming 'early reader' about a little girl named Ada who has an invisible cat. Looking for books for less confident 5-7 year olds and I think this series will fit the bill nicely.
June 10, 2024
Easy read, nice for your kids , read it to them or let them read but i think i quite liked enjoying it as a teenager as well as when i was a kid
February 28, 2025
Any child that has lost a pet, I highly recommend.
July 30, 2014
Author: Pip Jones
Illustrator: Ella Okstad
First Published: 2014
How wonderful! A lyrical, rhyming story of a little girl and her imaginary, mischievous cat. Sweetly illustrated and humorously told, a future classic to sit alongside Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy and There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake.
A story to be read over and over again.
Age:
Read aloud - 4+
Read yourself - 6+
References:
Pip Jones' website: http://www.pipjones.net/
Ella Okstad's website: http://okstad.com/
(ISBN 9780571302505)
-CR-
Illustrator: Ella Okstad
First Published: 2014
How wonderful! A lyrical, rhyming story of a little girl and her imaginary, mischievous cat. Sweetly illustrated and humorously told, a future classic to sit alongside Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy and There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake.
A story to be read over and over again.
Age:
Read aloud - 4+
Read yourself - 6+
References:
Pip Jones' website: http://www.pipjones.net/
Ella Okstad's website: http://okstad.com/
(ISBN 9780571302505)
-CR-
September 5, 2014
This is an absolutely gorgeous early reader book. It is divided into three little chapters so is a little more in depth than a picture book (it’s also just over 70 pages long compared to the 32 most picture books are) but still has that utterly charming feel.
Each pair of pages contains just a few lines of dialogue, all rhyming, telling the story of how Ava finds Squishy McFluff and brings him into her family. Like all good imaginary friends Squishy McFluff is prone to a bit of mischief, causing a little havoc for Ava’s very understanding and welcoming parents. A few times I giggled out loud at the things they got up to.
Ella Oakstad’s illustrations are really very lovely. Their muted tones work very well, and they fit the text and feel of the book perfectly. To draw an invisible cat and convey its invisibility must be a challenge, but it’s one that is definitely achieved.
Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat is the first in a new series, I can see them becoming firm favourites.
Each pair of pages contains just a few lines of dialogue, all rhyming, telling the story of how Ava finds Squishy McFluff and brings him into her family. Like all good imaginary friends Squishy McFluff is prone to a bit of mischief, causing a little havoc for Ava’s very understanding and welcoming parents. A few times I giggled out loud at the things they got up to.
Ella Oakstad’s illustrations are really very lovely. Their muted tones work very well, and they fit the text and feel of the book perfectly. To draw an invisible cat and convey its invisibility must be a challenge, but it’s one that is definitely achieved.
Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat is the first in a new series, I can see them becoming firm favourites.
February 15, 2015
This little rhyming book is a delight. Sure to hold the attention of pre-schoolers with its fantastic line, gentle humour and quirky illustrations, it would also be a good choice for early readers, who would be supported by the rhyme and illustrations.
Here are my initial thoughts on finishing:
Loved this delightful story, told entirely in rhyme, which is a hilarious and well-told tale in the tradition of stories where younger kids can vicariously enjoy the characters' naughtiness. The story is complemented perfectly by Ella Okstad's lovely illustrations. Strongly recommended for older picture book fans and kids who are just starting to read for themselves.
There is now a second book in this series, focused on a supermarket sweep and a third book is out soon, featuring Mad Nana Dot. I would definitely recommend these as they will appeal to a wide range of children in terms of interests (naughtiness, pets, imaginary friends) and reading ability, as it works very well as a read aloud but feels like a 'big' book as it is in chapters and is longer than a picture book.
Here are my initial thoughts on finishing:
Loved this delightful story, told entirely in rhyme, which is a hilarious and well-told tale in the tradition of stories where younger kids can vicariously enjoy the characters' naughtiness. The story is complemented perfectly by Ella Okstad's lovely illustrations. Strongly recommended for older picture book fans and kids who are just starting to read for themselves.
There is now a second book in this series, focused on a supermarket sweep and a third book is out soon, featuring Mad Nana Dot. I would definitely recommend these as they will appeal to a wide range of children in terms of interests (naughtiness, pets, imaginary friends) and reading ability, as it works very well as a read aloud but feels like a 'big' book as it is in chapters and is longer than a picture book.
March 24, 2015
Ava finds an adorable invisible cat and decides to bring him home. At first, things at home are lovely and Mum and Dad play along. But then Squishy McFluff starts to get up to mischief, leaving messes around. Mum devises a plan to get rid of Squishy, but when that doesn’t work she calls in Grandpa who knows just how to get invisible cats to behave.
An adorable little story told entirely in rhyming verse and whimsically illustrated throughout. Ava and McFluff get up to quite some creative mischief, but they are no match for Grandpa. It’s nice to see adults both willing to have fun with a child and come out on top in the smarts category too. Quite an impressive little book. The poetry was grand all the way through and was able to easily convey a fun story. Great pick for cat-loving lower elementary readers.
An adorable little story told entirely in rhyming verse and whimsically illustrated throughout. Ava and McFluff get up to quite some creative mischief, but they are no match for Grandpa. It’s nice to see adults both willing to have fun with a child and come out on top in the smarts category too. Quite an impressive little book. The poetry was grand all the way through and was able to easily convey a fun story. Great pick for cat-loving lower elementary readers.
March 10, 2014
I loved this book. It's the story of Ava, a little girl who encounters an invisible cat when playing in her garden. She adopts him, and together they get up to mischief, starting off with trying to catch a pigeon, then less cat-like behaviour, such as drawing on the walls. Eventually Great Grandad Bill is called in to sort out the problem... Or does he?
The rhythmic, energetic text is perfect for a reader trying more sustained reading, as the rhyme will support reading. The illustrations are an elegant, retro palette reminding me of the Eloise books. A delight!
The rhythmic, energetic text is perfect for a reader trying more sustained reading, as the rhyme will support reading. The illustrations are an elegant, retro palette reminding me of the Eloise books. A delight!
September 21, 2022
Have to revise up my original rating as it proved popular as an early chapter book experience for my little granddaughter Ava, who loves cats. She was also quite thrilled that the main character shared her first name :) Was followed shortly by another cute early chapter book "Rigatoni the Pasta Cat" which was on repeat borrowings from the local library throughout the months of August :)
April 3, 2014
This is the youngest book I’ve read for review but as soon as I saw the trailer I adored it.
Ava adopts an invisible cat and together they get up to mischief. The artwork and rhyming narration are wonderful.
I wanted to read it to someone because it’s a book that has to be read out loud.
Ava adopts an invisible cat and together they get up to mischief. The artwork and rhyming narration are wonderful.
I wanted to read it to someone because it’s a book that has to be read out loud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews