The Hamster Book

The Hamster Book
Silvia Borando
Walker Books
I’m a huge Minibombo (Shapes Reshape!, Open Up Please!) enthusiast and so was thrilled so see the latest book in Silvia Borando’s superb series.
Here, in tandem with an authorial narrative is – in similar fashion to Hervé Tulllet – a series of instructions (in blue print), kind of stage directions, for readers and listeners to follow and thus move the action forwards.
We first meet a sleeping hamster (you should have already named her, as per the opening sentence), and in order to wake her up, she needs a few gentle taps on the back before you turn the page whereon the instructions are to smooth down her ruffled fur in order to get her ready to perform.

Her ensuing ‘super-spinning-ball trick’ isn’t exactly a virtuoso performance; but she does deserve a round of applause and some well-earned food to chew, which she inevitably follows with …

But all of this has worn out the little rodent so now it’s time for some sleep …
Total interactive enjoyment. You’ll need a box of tissues at the ready for a spot of poo removal!