The Scruffs

Hannah Shaw's The Scruffs is a gloriously grubby comedy for 6 year olds about the smelliest pets in town and the posh cat who moves in with them.

What happens

The Perfect Pet shop is the kind of place you'd walk straight past. The paint is peeling, the sign is wonky and it smells of gerbil poo. The owner, Mr Straw, spends most of the day asleep in his chair with his jumper on inside out.

His pets aren't for sale. They live there, and they're a wonderful bunch. Itch is a one-eyed, flea-ridden dog who leads the gang. Gerb is a gerbil with enormous ears who dreams of flying. Lost is a budgie who can't see her own beak. Elvis is an old chameleon who always turns the wrong colour, thankyouverymuch. And Slug reads the newspapers by eating them (don't tell him he isn't really a pet).

Then Mr Straw brings home Ursula. She's a gorgeous pedigree puss in a diamond collar, and she asks where the big-screen TV is because she's missing Antiques Roadshow.

What a snob! Or is she? When Lost flies out of the skylight and a nasty café cat called Tom tries to eat her, Ursula is the one who comes to the rescue.

Just as she's settling in, a very smart lady and her shrieking daughter Bunty walk into the shop. Bunty wants Ursula, and her mum is waving a wad of cash at poor Mr Straw.

So the Scruffs come up with a plan. Ursula needs a make-under! If nobody thinks she's pretty, nobody can take her away. Cue slug slime as hair gel, a roll in the sawdust and a trip to the park that gets messier and messier.

This is a brilliant one to read aloud. The storyteller chats straight to you ("Shall we step inside?") and it's packed with lists, silly voices and sound effects. Kids who love anything a bit yucky will be in heaven.

Underneath the mess there's a sweet message about friends who like you just as you are. Who needs a satin cushion when you've got a gang?

What to read next

If they enjoyed a tidy animal among a crowd of rascals, try School for Bandits, where Ralph Raccoon is far too neat and polite for the naughty school his parents send him to.