Squishy McFluff » It’s a pleasure to meet you!
I’ve been rather busy over the last few months since Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat! was published. I’ve been working on more Squishy books, of course (I’m counting down now to the launch of Squishy McFluff: Supermarket Sweep! which will be out at the beginning of August), but I’ve also been busy meeting lots and lots of you!
Since February, Squishy McFluff and I have been to Seven Stories in Newcastle, to various schools around London (seeing all the fancy dress outfits on World Book Day was super fun), to Oxford Literary Festival, Dublin Writers’ Festival, Hay Festival and the Wychwood Festival in Cheltenham.
At each event we’ve been to, the children have created a unique imaginary pet all of their own by imagining and drawing together. Combining all the best bits of all the best animals has produced some pretty exciting creatures.
That’s Stripy McFlutter up there, one of my favourites. She (note the eyelashes, please) has the ears of an elephant, the body of a zebra, the nose of a monkey, the legs of a cat, the wings of a bird and the tail of a eagle. If memory serves, she also has the teeth of a tiger.
I’m hoping, as we gather more of these amazing drawings, we might put up a gallery on this website. Watch this space!
It’s been enormous fun meeting all the children, who never fail to prove that they really do have the best imaginations of all. I’d like to say a big thank you to Jemima at the Oxford Literary Festival, who drew me a picture (while waiting for me to start, oh dear, perhaps I was faffing!).
And I’d also like to reveal that Squishy McFluff made a new friend at Hay Festival. A little girl who came to see us there went home with her very own invisible dog, called Buster.
I hope to see lots more of you at the events that Squishy McFluff and I have coming up (don’t forget to wear your best imagining shoes) – check the News & Events section for details.
In the meantime, if you fancy creating your own unique imaginary pet at home, using all the best bits of all the best animals, be sure to start with two big round eyes, because all the best imaginary pets have them.
And don’t forget we want to see your drawings of your invisible cats too! Upload your drawing here and maybe soon you’ll see it in our Invisible Cat Gallery.