Marty Moose – First Class Mischief by Claire Powell – The Strawberry Post
A book review of a fun children’s book about a mouse who is going to work on his first day as a postmouse, but delivering letters and parcels to everyone in the area isn’t as easy as Marty thinks. The first instalment in the Marty Moose series.
About Marty Moose: First Class Mischief
Title: Marty Moose: First Class Mischief (Marty Moose #1)
Author: Claire Powell
Illustrator: Claire Powell
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre: Younger children’s/chapter book fiction, Humour, Animals
Book format reviewed: Paperback
Sweet Strawberries: 
Description: It’s Marty Moose’s first day on the hob as Postmouse. He’s polished his buttons and combed his whiskers – he’s ready to go!
But can he escape the twists and turns of Whisker Warren, deliver parcels to two angry toads without being eaten, figure out who’s been up to mailbag mischief at the post office – and STILL be home in time for jam sandwiches?
*Free copy provided by publisher for review…
My review and thoughts on Marty Moose: First Class Mischief
This is such a brilliant and funny story! Marty Moose isn’t a moose but a mouse and he’s heading to work on his first day as postmouse for Little Ditch, but when Marty receives his post bag and starts delivering letters he begins to have problems including being unable to find the door he’s meant to deliver to. On the way he meets another animal willing to help him, but as the two continue on Marty’s round they encounter more difficulties and dangers. This paperback is filled with thick matt pages with lots of colourful illustrations and text.
I have really enjoyed reading this as the book begins with a brief prologue showing us something happening in the sorting room of the post office before we see Marty Moose and learn more about him as he heads for his first day as postmouse. Marty wants to be like his Great-Aunt Ada who was an excellent postmouse in her time, but when he gets his mail bag and starts going about his round he soon encounters problems. I like what happens when he enters Whisker Warrens and ends up getting lost, especially when we later see him encountering a character called Nibbles who joins him on the rest of his round.
The story is good and funny throughout with some silly things happening when Marty has to later deliver post to a strange set of houses. I don’t want to spoil it, but what ensues is funny, silly and exciting and I do love the later twist that occurs. The book is filled with illustrations throughout which help with the humour and in some places the illustrations replace parts of the text. Every picture is in black, white, grey and also shades of red and I just love how Marty and the other characters look. There’s something so fun about this book with pictures on each page showing what’s happening, and there’s some interesting details to spot if you spend longer looking at each image like the various things written on some envelopes and parcels and other things.
The story has a brilliant ending and an epilogue which is good too. The back of the book has a page showing you how to draw Marty Moose as well as mention of the next book in the series, Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede which I’m now looking forward to reading. A great book for anyone who enjoys a fun, funny and slightly silly story which has some brilliant illustrations and a lovely message of friendship at the end too.
Other similar funny children’s fiction
–Read review – The O. D. D. Squad: Attack of Aunty Enchanty by Stuart Heritage & Vincent Batignole
-Read review – Rex Dinosaur in Disguise: Undercover Alien by Elys Dolan (Rex Dinosaur in Disguise #2)
-Read review – Rex Dinosaur in Disguise by Elys Dolan (Rex Dinosaur in Disguise #1)
Other fiction books for younger children/chapter book readers
-Read review – Baby Garfield: Year of Firsts (Baby Garfield #1) by Various
-Read review – The Birthday Cake Thief by Vashti Hardy & Agnes Saccani (The Moonlight Mystery Agency #1)(Dyslexia-friendly)
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-Read review – Porky Pies by Ross Montgomery & Marisa Morea(Dyslexia-Friendly)
-Read review – Max Meow: Donuts and Danger by John Gallagher (Max Meow #2)
-Read review – Unicornia: The Cupcake Contest by Ana Punset & Diana Vicedo (Unicornia #3)
-Read review – Unicornia: A Birthday Surprise by Ana Punset & Diana Vicedo (Unicornia #2)
-Read review – Unicornia: Learning to Fly by Ana Punset & Diana Vicedo (Unicornia #1)
-Read review – Ollie and the Rescue of the Hummingbird by Melina Karekla & Christina Karekla
-Read review – Peggy Little-Legs by Pip Jones & Paula Bowles(Dyslexia-friendly)
-Read review- Sidney & Carrie Have a Party by Lisa Thompson & Jess Rose(Dyslexia-friendly)
-Read review – Pepper Masalah and the Flying Carpet by Rosanne Hawke & Jasmine Berry (Pepper Masalah #1)
-Read review – Carnival of the Clocks by Nick Sharratt(Dyslexia-friendly)
-Read review – The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life by Pamela Butchart & Monika Filipina(Dyslexia-friendly)
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-Read review – Batpig: Go Pig or Go Home by Rob Harrell (Batpig #3)
-Read review – Batpig: Too Pig to Fail by Rob Harrell (Batpig #2)
-Read review – Batpig: When Pigs Fly by Rob Harrell (Batpig #1)
-Read review – The Little Lost Kitten by Holly Webb & Abigail Hookham (Dyslexia-friendly)
-Read review – The Missing Bunny by Holly Webb & Antonia Woodward(Dyslexia-friendly)
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What do you think of this book? Have you ever had a day where things didn’t go according to plan? Let me kno wwhat you think in the comments below 🙂
