Warduff and the Corncob Caper

July 11, 2011
As is true for many modern heroes, the first glimpse of Warduff isn't promising: a very fat feline, he's stuffed into the top of a garbage can, sleeping off a fish-eating binge. But when the ravenous fox Snipe threatens the barnyard, the endangered animals think of calling no one else. Debut author Head has a fine sense of visual comedy. His bold black outlines and graphic environments' geometric shapes establish a mock noir mood, and his cast has an endearing air of eager anxiety crossed with cluelessnessâbringing to mind a cross between Sandra Boynton and Aardman, the British animation studio responsible for Wallace and Gromit. Clearly a talented illustrator, Head's first outing as an author shows some promise in that department, too. Though his prose can be overly literal ("Hooray for Warduff and his brilliant plan!"), and the big reveal of how repurposed sweet corn can defeat a foe is a stretch, he ably builds suspense during the climactic scenes ("Deeper and darker went the trail. Then suddenly...") ensuring read-aloud enjoyment as Snipe gets what's coming to him. Ages 4â9.

August 1, 2011

A group of anthropomorphized farm animals threatened by a fox turn to a clever cat to protect them.

A straightforward plot propels this British import briskly through an eventful evening. Warduff, a fat black cat whose torn ear suggests a violent past, wakes to a call from Fefferflap the goose. A fox has been seen slinking around. Somewhat unexpectedly, Warduff uses brains, not brawn, to come up with a plan to scare away the fox and keep the animals safe. Much of the humor and nuance come from Head's digitally created illustrations. Warduff's phone, for example, is of the simple can-and-string variety (the can's label reads "Fatty Cat Mouse Morsels in Fish Jelly"), while the receiver clutched by Fefferflap appears to be a miniature pink pig with a very long curly tail. Head employs simple silhouettes and stylized shapes to create his animal characters and pastoral landscape. All of the animals have wide, staring eyes, which convey a surprising range of emotions. Unfortunately, the illustration of the clever trick that convinces Snipe the fox to hightail it out of town may not work quite as well for readers, but they'll still be tickled by the elaborate planning of "Operation Corncob."

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