Review of Mister Pushkin Springs Into Action

[Nisha Ward]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Mister Pushkin Springs Into Action" by AC Michael.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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A.C. Michael's Mr. Pushkin Springs into Action is the type of book you read on a sunny day with a fat cat next to you. I specify a fat cat so that they won’t get into the kind of trouble Mr. Pushkin does in this lovely collection worth 4 out of 4 stars.

To get into why I rated it so highly, you must understand that I grew up with books and stories by Enid Blyton. The Mr. Pushkin series is quite reminiscent of those stories, with as much mischief and delight inherent to its own furry tales as well.

In this particular collection of stories centered around this feisty Ukrainian Blue feline, we see several events from Mr. Pushkin's perspective, including spring cleaning, a failed proposal, a wedding and much more.

While I have mentioned the nostalgia I feel while reading this book, I would be remiss not to mention that it earns its rating because it’s also kid-friendly. The stories are easy to read and just long enough to weave a fascinating tale without losing the attention of its target audience.

There’s also the fact that each tale leaves much to the imagination at the end. I think my favourite was the one in which Mr. Pushkin encounters squirrels while out on his owner’s honeymoon. While the author tells us what happens, the actual events are left up to our imaginations. It’s a rare case where telling doesn’t actually diminish what’s shown but improves it.

I really liked this book. If there’s a negative thing to say about it, I think that it must be that there wasn’t enough of the other characters. While Mr. Pushkin’s perspective is a delight to read, I wish the author had included more about the others, such as his compatriot Bruce and Bruce’s owner, Emma.

I would recommend this to kids around seven or so who are just moving on to chapter books. It’s a delightful read and something I think they would greatly enjoy.

Happy reading, everyone!

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Mister Pushkin Springs Into Action
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