Banzai’s Unexpected Voyage by Jane-Anne Hodgson, illustrated by Sammy Jim!
When I read the first Grubson Pugg book – Grubson Pugg’s Christmas Voyage – as the final book of last year (and what a festive joy that was!) I found it to be a true modern fable of a story. This book, which takes on the story of Banzai the ship’s cat, and the contents of his mysterious carpet bag is an altogether different story.
Where the Christmas Voyage could be a human story seen through the eyes of dogs (and a cat), the Unexpected Voyage is a story which takes place in a world just like our own, in the streets and on the canals of Venice, populated entirely by cats and dogs. There’s a Doge, just like in our world, and Gondolas too, but with their own inimitable canine and feline style.
And there’s a cliffhanger to another, hopefully forthcoming, great adventure…!
