Pugnacious & Scuttlebutt: S.M. Ellybutt strikes back by Adam Wallace and Wayne Bryant

This is the follow up to Ready...Steady...Itch and the third in the series is flagged as coming soon. Lovers of Smarty Pup and Fart Boy will enjoy this hillarious, quick romp alongside Scuttlebutt the greyhound and Pugnacious the pug. There is a brief recap in the start of the book about the origins of the pair. Scuttlebutt was once a super fast greyhound but stopped because everyone laughed when he had an itchy bum and had to bum shuffle to the end. Pugnacious was once the meanest pug but he saved Scuttlebutt from the pound and now they are firm friends, roaming the streets and looking for a place to call home. Of course the dog catcher, S. M. Ellybutt is out for revenge. Bold, black and white pencil illustrations accompany short, simple tracts of text. The banter between the two dogs is funny: 'I never said I wanted a home with people who love us and care for us. I want a family with little people I can headbutt.', 'Okay, fine, tush scraper, but this better work.'

Children will especially love the horrible names the duo call each other and the ubiquitous toilet humour and harmless physical violence. The visual humour is particularly strong and the text is fast-flowing and witty. A quick read that will be enjoyed by humour-loving graphic novel fans. 

Themes: Humorous Stories, Dogs.

Nicole Nelson