William Heads to Hollywood

William is an international cat of mystery and detective extraordinaire! Amongst others, he has already solved the case of The Missing Masterpiece, and in this sequel he must now find out who has stolen the golden Cuckoo statues from the famous Cuckoo film studio. Can he crack the crime and impress the loveliest star in Tinseltown, Audrey Mieowski? Picturebook creator Helen Hancocks varies the design and layout of each page so that it presents William's hunt across the studio and Hollywood in different ways, emphasizing his experiences along the way. This is an enjoyable element of the book and there is plenty for children to look at in the illustrations as William sets off in hot pursuit. A notable example of this is when the cats drive across Sunset Boulevard, and the words are written on the road they take as it winds through the land. The humorous tone of the story is appealing, and language is also a source of play: William catnaps on an aeroplane, exclaims 'Oh, fishsticks!' when there is a chance he may not find the culprit, and at a party asks for milk, frothed not stirred. Though each element of the story is well thought-out, more could have been made of the criminal mastermind behind this mystery, as it seems fairly obvious who is responsible near the start. Perhaps two further suspects would have given the storyline a little more credence, though the comedy caper William embarks on is fun. I liked the ending, which suggests William's foray into acting alongside his beloved Audrey, and children who enjoyed Hancock's first book to feature this hero (William and the Missing Masterspiece) will likewise enjoy this one too. Picture book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Kerenza Gosh, lecturer.

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Someone has stolen the Golden Cuckoo Award statues and when William receives a plea for help from the glamorous Audrey Mieowski, he heads off to Hollywood to solve the case. Hancock's very distinctive artistic style somehow lends itself to portraying feline grace and elegance. Each spread is full of detail, humour and things to find, making it ideal for cuddling up with. A certain penguin can be found on one page! The text works in real harmony with the illustrations and there are some lovely touches- milk, frothed not stirred - that develop William's character and add to the humour. The vocabulary used has also been carefully chosen to support the style of the book. A lovely story with great illustrations- purrfect for sharing! Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 3+