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Mind-Swapping Madness
A boy in a fly’s body.
A toad waiting to be kissed.
Horses that know Morse code and aliens who hijack children’s bodies.
Has everyone gone completely bonkers?
These hilarious stories by award-winning author, Tom E. Moffatt, transport you to a world where mind-swapping is possible. But be warned: looking in the mirror will never be the same again.
Interview with the author:
How would you describe the genre of these stories?
I call them action-adventure comedies. By the end of each story I want you to feel like you’ve just been tickled while on a roller coaster.
Who is this book for?
Both boys and girls who can read by themselves, but in particular those reluctant readers who can’t always find their next book. It’s also for adults who want to share a funny read-aloud that does not rely solely on toilet humour.
How long are the stories?
They vary in length but should take between 5 and 45 minutes to read, so you’ll be able to get to the end of each story without staying up too much past bedtime!
Which is your favourite story from the collection?
Ooh, that’s like asking me to pick my favourite child. It’s impossible. I love Croak, which is about a boy who kissed a toad, got trapped in its body, and now has to trick someone into kissing him. Or there’s Soul Beneficiary, where Robert is summoned to his Great-Aunt’s death bed, thinking that he’s going to inherit all her possessions. However, it turns out that she plans on taking everything with her, including Robert’s body. And there’s also ... What am I saying? ... I love all the stories equally!
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244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2022
70 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Tom E. Moffatt
18 books19 followersTom E. Moffatt writes humorous stories and jokes for kids, but if you spotted him walking around town you wouldn’t know it. To the untrained eye, he looks like a normal 40-something father of three young girls. You know … with a glittery school bag slung over his shoulder and nail polish on his fingers.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 10, 2018
I chanced upon this book while casually browsing through Kindle. The cover has a child-like charm to it, but I was looking for something light among the other current serious reads, and decided to have a go with it. And it was a fun read indeed. Mind-Swapping Madness is from the Bonkers Short Stories collection, and this is Book One of the series. As the title suggests, this collection of stories revolves around the theme of mind-swapping - Parents swapping minds with children, siblings switching into each other’s bodies, the old hanging on to their youth by transferring into bodies of the young, humans in alien bodies and vice versa, and even mind swaps involving horses, frogs, cats, flies and fleas. This is an assorted mix of seven stories, all of which delve into mind swapping, and the author’s creativity certainly comes to the fore in churning out characters and scenarios for each story as he transports you to into a world of mind-swapping. The blurb states: “Looking in the mirror will never be the same again", and Moffatt has brilliantly created a world for his characters that he gives us a glimpse into.
The stories are hilarious as they transport you into a world that has seemingly gone bonkers, and make you ponder on the possibilities of swapping minds/bodies with another being (human/animal/insect/extra-terrestrial). The situations are funny, scary, embarrassing, twisted and spooky, and feature a wide range of characters. Each of the stories is creatively titled with an illustration. In addition, there are numerous illustrations throughout the book, in keeping with the events of each story. I personally feel the illustrator should have been credited on the front cover – the illustrations are fabulous. The stories all stand out in their own way and will have you chuckling throughout, but I particularly liked “Soul Beneficiary” and “Flea Trouble”. A very entertaining book, I would recommend this to both children and adults. The relatively simplistic usage of language makes this very readable for kids as well. This also works if you’re strapped for time, and can chew through a story a day for your daily dose of laughter. Artists will also enjoy this book – the illustrations beautifully depict how one can tell a story through pictures. I couldn’t find anything else from this author, but I look forward to reading and recommending more works from Tom Moffatt if and when he comes out with more books.
The stories are hilarious as they transport you into a world that has seemingly gone bonkers, and make you ponder on the possibilities of swapping minds/bodies with another being (human/animal/insect/extra-terrestrial). The situations are funny, scary, embarrassing, twisted and spooky, and feature a wide range of characters. Each of the stories is creatively titled with an illustration. In addition, there are numerous illustrations throughout the book, in keeping with the events of each story. I personally feel the illustrator should have been credited on the front cover – the illustrations are fabulous. The stories all stand out in their own way and will have you chuckling throughout, but I particularly liked “Soul Beneficiary” and “Flea Trouble”. A very entertaining book, I would recommend this to both children and adults. The relatively simplistic usage of language makes this very readable for kids as well. This also works if you’re strapped for time, and can chew through a story a day for your daily dose of laughter. Artists will also enjoy this book – the illustrations beautifully depict how one can tell a story through pictures. I couldn’t find anything else from this author, but I look forward to reading and recommending more works from Tom Moffatt if and when he comes out with more books.
April 26, 2018
New Zealand’s answer to Paul Jennings is here! Tom E. Moffatt’s collection of wacky short stories will have kids in hysterics.
If you’ve ever thought you might like to swap minds with someone these stories will make you think again. Tom shows us how funny, scary, crazy and totally embarrassing it would be to swap minds with a toad, an evil auntie, a flea, your baby sister and more.
These stories are perfect for reading aloud, especially to ages 10 and up. I can just imagine a whole class cracking up as the teacher reads it aloud. My favourite story is Soul Beneficiary, where Robert inherits more than he bargained for. It is clever and twisty with a hint of spookiness.
If you enjoyed Tom’s first book, Barking Mad, you need to read Mind-Swapping Madness.
If you’ve ever thought you might like to swap minds with someone these stories will make you think again. Tom shows us how funny, scary, crazy and totally embarrassing it would be to swap minds with a toad, an evil auntie, a flea, your baby sister and more.
These stories are perfect for reading aloud, especially to ages 10 and up. I can just imagine a whole class cracking up as the teacher reads it aloud. My favourite story is Soul Beneficiary, where Robert inherits more than he bargained for. It is clever and twisty with a hint of spookiness.
If you enjoyed Tom’s first book, Barking Mad, you need to read Mind-Swapping Madness.
April 14, 2018
A highly entertaining book of short stories by previous Tom Fitzgibbon winner, Tom Moffatt. Each story is unique and introduces an entirely new mind-swapping scenario - from the initial mind swap incident through to its resolution (or not!). I found the stories very easy to read and engaging and I think kids will love them too. These stories reminded me of the writing of Paul Jennings so I'd recommend this book to any kids (big or little) who enjoy his writing.
May 29, 2018
I knew going in that I wasn't the target audience. It was still a fun read. Short stories - some of them were interesting & thought provoking. Some were just goofy.
Lands somewhere between sci-fi & fairy tale. Good for a young reader with those interests.
Lands somewhere between sci-fi & fairy tale. Good for a young reader with those interests.
April 20, 2020
i think of the 2 i read by Tom ... i really enjoyed this one a bit more??! great illustrations. i only wish they were bigger ... i mean they are so cool. why not a bit bigger on that page? just saying.
May 30, 2022
I loved this book. This book has you on twists and turns about how mind-swapping can work and the race to be switched back, if you ever get switched back. The short stories were quick and easy to follow. This is the first book in a series. I plan to finish the series but slowly.
September 17, 2022
Funny
These short stories had me in stitches reading them all. I couldn't put the book down till the end. This book is great for all ages.
These short stories had me in stitches reading them all. I couldn't put the book down till the end. This book is great for all ages.
June 22, 2023
Clever and cute. The silliness was a bit over the top at times, but I think that younger middle grade readers would probably dig it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews