As a child, Pamela was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of pets and go to a primary school where lots of spooky and weird things happened (well, in her imagination at least). As a student, Pamela’s student jobs included: fishwife, teaching basketball in America, phlebotomist and Artist Liaison for a (really bad) Abba tribute band. Now, when she’s not writing or going out and about meeting readers, Pamela teaches philosophy to teenagers.
Her top selling stories include The Spy Who Loved School Dinners which won the Blue Peter Best Story Award and My Head Teacher is a Vampire Rat which won The Children’s Book Award. Two of her books, Petunia Peri and There’s a Werewolf in My Tent, were shortlisted for the Lollies – the Laugh Out Loud Awards.
Pamela lives in Dundee with her baby boy and their two awesome cats, Bear & Carlos. If she wasn’t working as a writer and a teacher she’d like to open a luxury hotel for stray cats.
Another delightful book about Wigglesbottom Primary. Hamsters, Flies, and robots, oh my!
When I had to pick some new books to buy for this June month, I decided to go for the two books of this series that I still needed. Plus, how could I resist this one? It features one of my favourite animals, hamsters. A whole story about one even!
The Magic Hamster: 5+ stars. Yes, I am giving more points because it is a story about a hamster. Sorry, the hamster hypnotised me, but look how adorable he is. Awwwwwww. *feeds him some more sunflower seeds* I loved how all the kids fell head over heels with Ravioli, and how some of them then thought he had magical powers. I knew it wasn't magical powers, but I knew it had to be adorable powers, as hamsters are adorable. I know I cannot resist giving my tiny hamster a bit more noms when she looks at me. :) I was a bit surprised that the hamster squeaked so much (and so loudly). I have had quite a few hamsters in my life, but I have only ever heard them squeak when they were hurting (like that one time one of my hamsters got his paw stuck), or something wasn't well with them. They also squeak softly at times, but you can barely hear that. I had a laugh at the chaos that happened when one of the kids got bit, and I loved how the teacher handled the situation. Good job to the teacher, and also immediately getting the hamster from his safe spot so the kids get used to him again (and say sorry).
Fly Girl: 4.5 stars. A delightful story about a girl who eats a bug and how her classmates think she is going to turn into a fly (or maybe even something else). I had such a laugh reading this one, especially as things turned weirder and weirder. Those kids are hilarious and have the best imaginations. Of course like all the stories there is a logical explanation to Evie's weird behaviour, and I can imagine that she may be a bit green (though I have to say reading that as the last part of the story had me laughing, those kids are not giving up on their theory, are they? :P).
Robot Boy: 4.5 stars. Aww, this was a cute and sweet story. I knew right away what was going on with Theo and why he was bleeping and acting a bit weird. I loved that the teacher did that for him, that she allowed that. I loved what the kids thought though, and while it was farfetched, I could understand why they thought what they did. I had quite a laugh at how far they took it, and then their surprise when they learned the truth about what was going on with Theo. But of course, seeing that picture led to a new case of robotnoia.
This time the colour of the book and the illustrations is Yellow! I just love that each book has its own colour.
The illustrations, well, I just adored them. Becka Moor's illustrations just fit perfectly with this story, this class, these kids and their imagination.
All in all, I can't wait to read the next book, and I hope that there will be many more Wigglesbottom Primary books in the future. I need more!
With a hypno-hamster and robots, this might be my toddler’s favorite Wigglesbottom Primary School collection of three stories. If you haven’t read one of these for your grade school reader -or even your curious toddler who loves a good giggle- they are worth seeking out and importing to your US post box. So much fun.
Miss 6 continues to enjoy these colourful and delightful stories, I do too! Could the class's new hamster be hypnotizing them into being good? If you accidentally swallow a fly, will you turn into a frog? Could one of them secretly be a robot?
Miss 6 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
Title: The Magic Hamster Author: Pamela Butchart Illustrator: Becka Moore Series: Wigglesbottom Primary, #3
Plot: It’s about a class of its own and not only about a magic hamster, but also about a girl who swallows a fly and then everyone first thinks she turns into a fly, but then they think she turns into a frog. It’s also about a boy who’s Mama is at the hospital, because she’s having a Baby and then he acts weird and everyone thinks he turns into a robot.
My sister's Thoughts: It’s over-mega-fantastic! And I also thought it very great that they all, before the book started, got introduced. And the pictures are also greatly drawn. If the girl actually turns into a frog and if the boy really is a robot was very exciting. I would also like to go into such a funny class!
My Thoughts: We don’t know the first two books of the series, but the book was still understandable. It includes three separate stores, that are quick to read out. But it’s also great for kids who just learned to read. The language is simple and no page is overloaded with text. Also the design of the text is something special and helps kids with the emphasis – together with the illustrations this book is wonderful to look at. The yellow color scheme that goes through the whole book is very calm. The stories are funny and invite the kids to wonder what’s really going on.
Plus-Points: +Easy to read for kids who just learned how to read. +The illustrations and design of the text. +Introduction of the characters. +Understandable even without knowing the first two books.
Favorite Characters: Ravioli (the hamster), Emma & Theo
Note: Thanks to orell füssli for sending us the review copy!