Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
This early children’s book by author and illustrator, Heidi McKinnon, is a hardcovered ten-and-a-half-inch book with a large orange dog face on the cover. The reader is first introduced to SHMOOF and all his antics. Then they meet FLOOF who is a grey cat. As most people know some cats and dogs DO NOT get along.
It is not until they discover that they have something in common that things change between them. They both do not like the vacuum cleaner and hide before deciding that it MUST go. They soon discover that to have someone to relax with is very nice.
Will this situation last especially after a large box is delivered to the house?
Australian, Heidi McKinnon, has written several children’s picture books which are colourful and filled with humour. She has received numerous award nominations for her books which have been published around the world.
The eye-catching cover is in purple and orange with two eyes that repeat the vowels in the title name. These colours continue throughout the book with the addition of others on appropriate thicker paper. The illustrations are large and the words few. The words that do tell the story are action words that would engage young children.
For readers who have seen this author’s work before you may be familiar with at least one of these pets. Shmoof is introduced to the reader as being shmoofy, super shmoofy, a word young children should enjoy trying to repeat.
The back cover tells the prospective reader that this is a story to warm the heart of anyone who has ever loved a playful furball. I’m sure all readers of this book would agree.
SHMOOF
(2025)
by Heidi McKinnon
Allen&Unwin
ISBN:978-1760876661
$19.99; 36pp