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Mr. Wuffles!
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2013)In a near wordless masterpiece that could only have been devised by David Wiesner, a cat named Mr. Wuffles doesn't care about toy mice or toy goldfish. He’s much more interested in playing with a little spaceship full of actual aliens—but the ship wasn't designed for this kind of rough treatment. Between motion sickness and damaged equipment, the aliens are in deep trouble.When the space visitors dodge the cat and take shelter behind the radiator to repair the damage, they make a host of insect friends. The result? A humorous exploration of cooperation between aliens and insects, and of the universal nature of communication involving symbols, “cave” paintings, and gestures of friendship.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2013
About the author
David Wiesner
61 books612 followersDuring David Wiesner's formative years, the last images he saw before closing his eyes at night were the books, rockets, elephant heads, clocks, and magnifying glasses that decorated the wallpaper of his room. Perhaps it was this decor which awakened his creativity and gave it the dreamlike, imaginative quality so often found in his work.
As a child growing up in suburban New Jersey, Wiesner re-created his world daily in his imagination. His home and his neighborhood became anything from a faraway planet to a prehistoric jungle. When the everyday play stopped, he would follow his imaginary playmates into the pages of books, wandering among dinosaurs in the World Book Encyclopedia. The images before him generated a love of detail, an admiration for the creative process, and a curiosity about the hand behind the drawings.
In time, the young Wiesner began exploring the history of art, delving into the Renaissance at first — Michelangelo, Dürer, and da Vinci — then moving on to such surrealists as Magritte, de Chirico, and Dalí. As he got older, he would sit, inspired by these masters, at the oak drafting table his father had found for him and would construct new worlds on paper and create wordless comic books, such as Slop the Wonder Pig, and silent movies, like his kung fu vampire film The Saga of Butchula.
Wiesner has always been intrigued by and curious about what comes before and after the captured image. His books somehow convey the sequence of thoughts leading up to and following each picture, and that quality explain why they are frequently described as cinematic.
At the Rhode Island School of Design, Wiesner was able to commit himself to the full-time study of art and to explore further his passion for wordless storytelling. There he met two people who would figure prominently in his life: Tom Sgouros, to whom Tuesday is dedicated, and David Macaulay, to whom The Three Pigs is dedicated. These two men not only taught Wiesner the fundamentals of drawing and painting but also fostered his imaginative spirit and helped him comprehend the world around him. Sgouros's and Macaulay's artistic influences were vital to Wiesner's development into the acclaimed picture-book author he is today.
David Wiesner has illustrated more than twenty award-winning books for young readers. Two of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday in 1992 and The Three Pigs in 2002. Two of his other titles, Sector 7 and Free Fall, are Caldecott Honor Books. An exhibit of Wiesner's original artwork, "Seeing the Story," toured the United States in 2000 and 2001. Among his many honors, Wiesner holds the Japan Picture Book Award for Tuesday, the Prix Sorcières (the French equivalent of the Caldecott Medal) for The Three Pigs, and a 2004 IBBY Honour Book nomination for illustration, also for The Three Pigs. Flotsam, his most recent work, was a New York Times bestseller and was recently named winner of the 2007 Caldecott Medal, making Wiesner only the second person in the award’s long history to have won three times.
Wiesner lives with his wife and their son and daughter in the Philadelphia area, where he continues to create dreamlike and inventive images for books.
As a child growing up in suburban New Jersey, Wiesner re-created his world daily in his imagination. His home and his neighborhood became anything from a faraway planet to a prehistoric jungle. When the everyday play stopped, he would follow his imaginary playmates into the pages of books, wandering among dinosaurs in the World Book Encyclopedia. The images before him generated a love of detail, an admiration for the creative process, and a curiosity about the hand behind the drawings.
In time, the young Wiesner began exploring the history of art, delving into the Renaissance at first — Michelangelo, Dürer, and da Vinci — then moving on to such surrealists as Magritte, de Chirico, and Dalí. As he got older, he would sit, inspired by these masters, at the oak drafting table his father had found for him and would construct new worlds on paper and create wordless comic books, such as Slop the Wonder Pig, and silent movies, like his kung fu vampire film The Saga of Butchula.
Wiesner has always been intrigued by and curious about what comes before and after the captured image. His books somehow convey the sequence of thoughts leading up to and following each picture, and that quality explain why they are frequently described as cinematic.
At the Rhode Island School of Design, Wiesner was able to commit himself to the full-time study of art and to explore further his passion for wordless storytelling. There he met two people who would figure prominently in his life: Tom Sgouros, to whom Tuesday is dedicated, and David Macaulay, to whom The Three Pigs is dedicated. These two men not only taught Wiesner the fundamentals of drawing and painting but also fostered his imaginative spirit and helped him comprehend the world around him. Sgouros's and Macaulay's artistic influences were vital to Wiesner's development into the acclaimed picture-book author he is today.
David Wiesner has illustrated more than twenty award-winning books for young readers. Two of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday in 1992 and The Three Pigs in 2002. Two of his other titles, Sector 7 and Free Fall, are Caldecott Honor Books. An exhibit of Wiesner's original artwork, "Seeing the Story," toured the United States in 2000 and 2001. Among his many honors, Wiesner holds the Japan Picture Book Award for Tuesday, the Prix Sorcières (the French equivalent of the Caldecott Medal) for The Three Pigs, and a 2004 IBBY Honour Book nomination for illustration, also for The Three Pigs. Flotsam, his most recent work, was a New York Times bestseller and was recently named winner of the 2007 Caldecott Medal, making Wiesner only the second person in the award’s long history to have won three times.
Wiesner lives with his wife and their son and daughter in the Philadelphia area, where he continues to create dreamlike and inventive images for books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,314 reviews
August 4, 2023
Mr Wuffles is a typical cat. Not a cute kitten, nor even a lovable rogue, but all Cat with a capital C. Independent, contrary and defiant, he's the sort of cat with a "try rubbing my tummy and I'll scratch your eyes out" sort of air. Staring out at you balefully from the cover, he looks like a whole lot of trouble.
Sure enough, we find that Mr Wuffles disdainfully ignores all the toys his loving owner has provided. She does not seem to know her pet very well. Whether it is a wind-up clockwork mouse, a bunch of feathers, a bell in a ball cage, a shuttlecock or a ball of twine, he simply turns up his nose at it and stalks off.
But then he finds something which does arrest his attention. He comes across a small metal object, apparently discarded on the floor. It looks rather like two miniature colanders soldered together by their rims. Strange noises are emanating from within, and soon we and Mr. Wuffles see just who is making them. Little green aliens, all bald, all wearing strange monkish habits — and all completely terrified by the huge, fierce, furry beast looming over them.
Being played with by a cat is no fun. Ask any unfortunate mouse or bird. The little green aliens are clearly starting to feel as green as they look — giddy, nauseous, and very ill indeed. Even worse, their equipment is beginning to get damaged with being repeatedly tossed in the air and caught again for Mr. Wuffles's pleasure. Fortunately, a ladybird comes to the little green aliens' aid, providing momentary distraction. No self-respecting cat can ignore a shimmering bug flitting about his head. Quick, little aliens!
What else can they do, but flee the ship in panic, clutching their precious equipment as best they can, to search for safety elsewhere. A refuge is provided by a convenient hole in a skirting board under a radiator, where they meet other allies — ants!
The story follows the burgeoning relationship between the little green aliens, the ants and the ladybird, as they all work as a team, sharing their food, and cooperating to repair the spaceship's equipment, eventually defeating the gigantic monster cat, to set off back to their own planet.
Whether patiently waiting with the fixed gaze of a hunter watching his prey, or claws outstretched and body trembling, ready to pounce; whether leaping, or poised motionless, but with head jerking quickly back and forth; the playfulness, the catnapping — in fact all the aspects of cat behaviour are all so scrupulously observed and authentic, that this is clearly written and drawn by a cat-owner. (Whether the little green aliens are also drawn from life I cannot say.)
Mr. Wuffles, first published in 2013, is an extremely original and engaging fantasy story. Written and drawn entirely in a mix of full spreads and cartoon strip panels by David Weisner, using watercolours and India ink, the author has invented an entire language consisting of geometric hieroglyphs in speech bubbles, spoken by the little green aliens. There are only a handful of words in the whole book, spoken by Mr. Wuffles's luckless owner.
Because it contains no text as such, this could be accessible to very young children, except that the story and themes are suited to an older audience. Even the concept of little green men coming from outer space is needed really, to fully appreciate this quirky story. The format looks more like a picture book for very young children, but the content belies this. It would be ideal for reluctant readers, who would fully appreciate the humour without the need for text. It was not what I expected, and most enjoyable.
David Weisner has apparently produced three Caldecott medal wining books previously, and if the fantasy elements are as inventive as they are here, this comes as no surprise.
Sure enough, we find that Mr Wuffles disdainfully ignores all the toys his loving owner has provided. She does not seem to know her pet very well. Whether it is a wind-up clockwork mouse, a bunch of feathers, a bell in a ball cage, a shuttlecock or a ball of twine, he simply turns up his nose at it and stalks off.
But then he finds something which does arrest his attention. He comes across a small metal object, apparently discarded on the floor. It looks rather like two miniature colanders soldered together by their rims. Strange noises are emanating from within, and soon we and Mr. Wuffles see just who is making them. Little green aliens, all bald, all wearing strange monkish habits — and all completely terrified by the huge, fierce, furry beast looming over them.
Being played with by a cat is no fun. Ask any unfortunate mouse or bird. The little green aliens are clearly starting to feel as green as they look — giddy, nauseous, and very ill indeed. Even worse, their equipment is beginning to get damaged with being repeatedly tossed in the air and caught again for Mr. Wuffles's pleasure. Fortunately, a ladybird comes to the little green aliens' aid, providing momentary distraction. No self-respecting cat can ignore a shimmering bug flitting about his head. Quick, little aliens!
What else can they do, but flee the ship in panic, clutching their precious equipment as best they can, to search for safety elsewhere. A refuge is provided by a convenient hole in a skirting board under a radiator, where they meet other allies — ants!
The story follows the burgeoning relationship between the little green aliens, the ants and the ladybird, as they all work as a team, sharing their food, and cooperating to repair the spaceship's equipment, eventually defeating the gigantic monster cat, to set off back to their own planet.
Whether patiently waiting with the fixed gaze of a hunter watching his prey, or claws outstretched and body trembling, ready to pounce; whether leaping, or poised motionless, but with head jerking quickly back and forth; the playfulness, the catnapping — in fact all the aspects of cat behaviour are all so scrupulously observed and authentic, that this is clearly written and drawn by a cat-owner. (Whether the little green aliens are also drawn from life I cannot say.)
Mr. Wuffles, first published in 2013, is an extremely original and engaging fantasy story. Written and drawn entirely in a mix of full spreads and cartoon strip panels by David Weisner, using watercolours and India ink, the author has invented an entire language consisting of geometric hieroglyphs in speech bubbles, spoken by the little green aliens. There are only a handful of words in the whole book, spoken by Mr. Wuffles's luckless owner.
Because it contains no text as such, this could be accessible to very young children, except that the story and themes are suited to an older audience. Even the concept of little green men coming from outer space is needed really, to fully appreciate this quirky story. The format looks more like a picture book for very young children, but the content belies this. It would be ideal for reluctant readers, who would fully appreciate the humour without the need for text. It was not what I expected, and most enjoyable.
David Weisner has apparently produced three Caldecott medal wining books previously, and if the fantasy elements are as inventive as they are here, this comes as no surprise.
September 27, 2022
Cute, but not my favorite Wiesner. Fun wordless storyline that seems to be classic Weisner. I happen to love Wiesner's illustrations as a rule--I first fell in love with the fabulous flying frogs in Tuesday--but didn't react favorably to the drawings that were Mr. Wuffles cat-centric. I wonder if there's something to the animals we see so frequently in our lives and art (dogs, cats, horses) that lifelike representations end up being scrutinized to a different degree? Mr. Wuffles face seemed just a tad skew. I remember seeing something about that once with Pixar, and how the cartoon families had to be tweaked because they were lifelike enough that they landed on the viewer 'creepy' scale. Anyway, the cat seemed skewed, so I kept being visually distracted from the fun story of the aliens and bugs. Had to love the power of intergalactic cooperation!
April 29, 2019
Cats. Who can figure them? It seems this wordless picture book has a good idea about what makes cats tick.
I love the bright colors and how realistic the cats behavior is on the pages. It’s easy to relate to because we have all seen this before. There are two times when the human gives the cat a toy to play with and the cat ignores it and they say ‘Oh Mr. Wuffles’ We find out why the cat chooses toys. Either there are ants or bugs to play with or there are alien explorers. Who knew? The exploring alien’s ship is busted up by the cat and they must find a way to fix it. They meet the locals, a rag tag group of ants and ladybug freedom fighters against the tyrannical rule of the cat. They are able to survive the encounter.
The kids loved this story. The nephew more so than the niece. He kept wanting to look in his toys to see if there were aliens in them. He got very excited about this story and he was talking a mile a minute. He gave this 5 stars and he wanted to keep this book. He loves cats and isn’t allowed one in the house. The niece also loved this story and laughed along with her brother. She appreciated the story and gave this 4 stars. You can always count on a David Wiesner story. Always. He is so gifted at this genre.
I love the bright colors and how realistic the cats behavior is on the pages. It’s easy to relate to because we have all seen this before. There are two times when the human gives the cat a toy to play with and the cat ignores it and they say ‘Oh Mr. Wuffles’ We find out why the cat chooses toys. Either there are ants or bugs to play with or there are alien explorers. Who knew? The exploring alien’s ship is busted up by the cat and they must find a way to fix it. They meet the locals, a rag tag group of ants and ladybug freedom fighters against the tyrannical rule of the cat. They are able to survive the encounter.
The kids loved this story. The nephew more so than the niece. He kept wanting to look in his toys to see if there were aliens in them. He got very excited about this story and he was talking a mile a minute. He gave this 5 stars and he wanted to keep this book. He loves cats and isn’t allowed one in the house. The niece also loved this story and laughed along with her brother. She appreciated the story and gave this 4 stars. You can always count on a David Wiesner story. Always. He is so gifted at this genre.
April 29, 2018
Great illustrations and a fun story, but also an entree into some sophisticated topics if one wanted to discuss such with one's children. Subjectivity of experience, for instance, or different methods of communication, or what animals might be perceiving.
One of my favorite bits was the ant "cave" paintings of their historical struggle with Mr. Wuffles.
One of my favorite bits was the ant "cave" paintings of their historical struggle with Mr. Wuffles.
May 14, 2022
So yes, but I do feel both somewhat guilty and also rather curmudgeonly, as I seem to be one of the very few individuals who has not at all enjoyed David Wiesner's Mr. Wuffles! by any stretch of my imagination. For while I can certainly appreciate Wiesner's artwork as being (and as usual) wonderfully adept and colourfully descriptive, and am definitely also able to smile a bit at how Mr. Wuffles (like a typical cat) disdains ALL of the toys with which his owner tries to tempt him, the entire storyline of a miniature alien spaceship needing repairs and being pawed at by Mr. Wuffles, being seen by him as the perfect cat toy, and it then finally being repaired due to an alliance between the green skinned aliens and insects, sorry, but this scenario has not even remotely caught my fancy (and I basically have thus found the nearly wordless plot-line of Mr. Wuffles! pretty much annoying and not at all engaging, simply boring to and for me on a personal level).
Now if David Wiesner had perhaps included a legend to decipher the hieroglyphic like parlance of especially the space aliens, I might have (perhaps) enjoyed Mr. Wuffles! a tiny bit more (and approached it as a fun and entirely academic linguistic challenge). But really, and as it stands at present (and from a purely potential reading pleasure and enjoyment factor), Mr. Wuffles! has been pretty much a total and utter disappointment to and for me, and so much so that really, the two star ranking I am giving to Mr. Wuffles is actually and in my opinion pretty majorly generous on my part (since if I were to consider how little I have actually enjoyed both the illustrations and the story as a whole, I really should only be granting one star to Mr. Wuffles!, and yes, the only reason I am indeed not doing this is because I do feel more than a bit uneasy at having so completely and utterly not at all enjoyed this Caldecott Honour winning picture book).
Now if David Wiesner had perhaps included a legend to decipher the hieroglyphic like parlance of especially the space aliens, I might have (perhaps) enjoyed Mr. Wuffles! a tiny bit more (and approached it as a fun and entirely academic linguistic challenge). But really, and as it stands at present (and from a purely potential reading pleasure and enjoyment factor), Mr. Wuffles! has been pretty much a total and utter disappointment to and for me, and so much so that really, the two star ranking I am giving to Mr. Wuffles is actually and in my opinion pretty majorly generous on my part (since if I were to consider how little I have actually enjoyed both the illustrations and the story as a whole, I really should only be granting one star to Mr. Wuffles!, and yes, the only reason I am indeed not doing this is because I do feel more than a bit uneasy at having so completely and utterly not at all enjoyed this Caldecott Honour winning picture book).
November 15, 2018
A cat finds a small flying saucer that contains aliens, when he starts to play with it the aliens are shaken about. When they leave the ship and hide under a cupboard they meet with some other species who have also had long standing harassment from the cat and they join forces to try to escape. Although I can see this is an action packed and inventive book, I personally didn't enjoy it that much. I'm not a fan of illustrations that use a black line to contain the colours, and I didn't like the colours used. Having said that, I do think this book would appeal to children, especially those who like aliens.
August 23, 2020
Mr. Wuffles looks like my Schmaggles (actual name Magpie):
She is our perfect princess who demands adoration and affection from everyone she meets and who snuggles with my boys at night.
So is it any wonder that they rooted for the supposedly vicious predator...
...rather than the alien beings with whom they were apparently supposed to identify?
They did enjoy my verbal interpretation of the aliens' shape-based language.
The kinship between the aliens and the tiny inhabitants of earth (also "victims" of Mr. Wuffles) was touching...
...but ultimately, did not succeed in stirring the heart strings of my offspring.
She is our perfect princess who demands adoration and affection from everyone she meets and who snuggles with my boys at night.
So is it any wonder that they rooted for the supposedly vicious predator...
...rather than the alien beings with whom they were apparently supposed to identify?
They did enjoy my verbal interpretation of the aliens' shape-based language.
The kinship between the aliens and the tiny inhabitants of earth (also "victims" of Mr. Wuffles) was touching...
...but ultimately, did not succeed in stirring the heart strings of my offspring.
July 15, 2021
2014 April 24
Wiesner is astounding. Mr. Wuffles! is hyper-realistic, just amazing to look at, so vivid on the page. Wow. And also, it's an amusing little story. But that cat! We have an enormous jellicle cat that resembles Wiesner's and I am in awe of every picture. Even if you hate picture books, even if cats give you hives, you should take ten minutes out of your life to look at these pictures.
***
2021 July 15
This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Sad bit in spoiler which you can skip if you don't like that sort of thing.
Mr. Wuffles! however is not sad at all so it was lovely to read it and stay in the happy memory place.
Library copy
Wiesner is astounding. Mr. Wuffles! is hyper-realistic, just amazing to look at, so vivid on the page. Wow. And also, it's an amusing little story. But that cat! We have an enormous jellicle cat that resembles Wiesner's and I am in awe of every picture. Even if you hate picture books, even if cats give you hives, you should take ten minutes out of your life to look at these pictures.
***
2021 July 15
This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Sad bit in spoiler which you can skip if you don't like that sort of thing.
Mr. Wuffles! however is not sad at all so it was lovely to read it and stay in the happy memory place.
Library copy
October 3, 2013
The masterful Wiesner returns with another near-wordless picture book. Mr. Wuffles is a cat who disdains most of the toys his master gets him. Then one object gets his attention, a little metallic spaceship. But this is not a toy! It is filled with tiny aliens who are battered by being flung around by Mr. Wuffles. Their equipment is damaged and they have to leave their ship and head out looking for help. But Mr. Wuffles is close behind them and who can the aliens turn to for aid?
This is a magnificent picture book that turns from a normal cat picture book into something much more interesting. Wiesner has created a book that bridges genres effortlessly. He also has created a wordless picture book that never seems to be missing them. His story flows organically and is never forced. It has touches of humor throughout especially where Mr. Wuffles himself is concerned. I particularly enjoy the rows of untouched toys with price tags still attached that he walks past.
Wiesner’s art is as strong as ever. He pays attention to details both in the human home and later when the aliens arrive. The juxtaposition of the aliens with the insects of the home is particularly well done. The addition of cave paintings as communication is a delight.
Beautiful and funny this is a wordless masterpiece. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
This is a magnificent picture book that turns from a normal cat picture book into something much more interesting. Wiesner has created a book that bridges genres effortlessly. He also has created a wordless picture book that never seems to be missing them. His story flows organically and is never forced. It has touches of humor throughout especially where Mr. Wuffles himself is concerned. I particularly enjoy the rows of untouched toys with price tags still attached that he walks past.
Wiesner’s art is as strong as ever. He pays attention to details both in the human home and later when the aliens arrive. The juxtaposition of the aliens with the insects of the home is particularly well done. The addition of cave paintings as communication is a delight.
Beautiful and funny this is a wordless masterpiece. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
November 27, 2013
Sci fi comes to children's books, with strong, colorful drawings.. a cat and her favorite toy spaceship… with aliens… I liked the concept of this and the art more than the actual story, same for my kids, in their response to it.
March 3, 2014
Mr. Wuffles--what a cute name! Wish I'd thought of it. Being a cat lover, of course I had to read this book, though there's not much to read here, being almost wordless. I had to laugh at the price tags on the toys. I'm sure every cat owner has spent a small fortune on toys and furniture for their cats, only to have the favorite toy become an old bottle cap, a paper clip, a straw, or something that's yours. Mr. Wuffles is, in this respect, a typical cat, preferring to play with the little alien spaceship that lands in the house than the expensive toys his owner buys.
The aliens look a bit like ants, so it's no wonder that the ants in the house can communicate with them. I wonder if the aliens are really saying something if only you could decipher their "script"? I didn't see a key to their "alphabet"... The picture where one alien is joyously hugging an ant after they fix their power source is so cute! Ironically, the last toy offered to Mr. Wuffles is a spaceship--nothing like the real thing he's been pursuing, so of course he ignores it.
This is a story of wit, teamwork, and a bit of luck overcoming a force of pure power and instinct. Mr. Wuffles may look handsome and cute, but he could have crushed and eaten the aliens. And all this drama is happening under the nose of the clueless owner!
My only disappointment in the book came when I took the dust jacket off, as we do in college libraries. Imagine my dismay when, instead of the wonderful picture of Mr. Wuffles with his head on his paws, I saw a picture of the universe! Why didn't they put the same illustration on the book itself as they did on the dust jacket? Well, I'm putting the dust jacket up in my office, so I can see Mr. Wuffles, who looks like my Howie, every day. Recommended for cat and alien lovers!
The aliens look a bit like ants, so it's no wonder that the ants in the house can communicate with them. I wonder if the aliens are really saying something if only you could decipher their "script"? I didn't see a key to their "alphabet"... The picture where one alien is joyously hugging an ant after they fix their power source is so cute! Ironically, the last toy offered to Mr. Wuffles is a spaceship--nothing like the real thing he's been pursuing, so of course he ignores it.
This is a story of wit, teamwork, and a bit of luck overcoming a force of pure power and instinct. Mr. Wuffles may look handsome and cute, but he could have crushed and eaten the aliens. And all this drama is happening under the nose of the clueless owner!
My only disappointment in the book came when I took the dust jacket off, as we do in college libraries. Imagine my dismay when, instead of the wonderful picture of Mr. Wuffles with his head on his paws, I saw a picture of the universe! Why didn't they put the same illustration on the book itself as they did on the dust jacket? Well, I'm putting the dust jacket up in my office, so I can see Mr. Wuffles, who looks like my Howie, every day. Recommended for cat and alien lovers!
June 20, 2017
3.5 out of 5
David Wiesner's illustrations in this nearly wordless comic book style picturebook capture cat movement and behavior perfectly:
After reading Mr. Wuffles!, I kind of feel bad for all the little bugs my own cat stalks and plays with (and eats)...
David Wiesner's illustrations in this nearly wordless comic book style picturebook capture cat movement and behavior perfectly:
After reading Mr. Wuffles!, I kind of feel bad for all the little bugs my own cat stalks and plays with (and eats)...
February 9, 2017
It takes a special toy to capture the attention of the finicky Mr. Wuffles. A "toy" like a ladybug, or an ant or . . . a spaceship full of tiny aliens.
I started laughing at the first few pages and didn't finish until I closed the book. Had to read a second time to admire all the artwork.
This is truly a delight - and not just for cat lovers!
I started laughing at the first few pages and didn't finish until I closed the book. Had to read a second time to admire all the artwork.
This is truly a delight - and not just for cat lovers!
September 26, 2017
One of the benefits of being friends with people who work in the kids section of the public library is that you get awesome book recommendations.The artwork in Mr Wuffles is wonderful.Now I have to find a little kid who can translate what the aliens are saying!
October 22, 2013
Weisneris brilliant. He's sort of like the mad scientist of picture books.
November 15, 2018
A story about a cat but with a twist! Fantastic illustrations which take us through the journey of this wordless picture book!
December 27, 2017
We love David Wiesner's books, and when I saw that he had a new book out and it featured a cat named Mr. Wuffles, I was very excited. I just knew we were in for a treat.
This nearly wordless book actually has a lot of dialogue, but it's in 'alien' and 'ant,' so we cannot actually read the words. I thought this would pose a problem as we read it aloud, but our youngest was kind enough to provide the sound effects for the different conversations.
We enjoyed looking at the details in the pictures and we loved looking at Mr. Wuffles, especially his piercing stare and his humorous cat antics.
Overall, I can't say that this book replaces Flotsam in our hearts for our favorite of his stories, but we really enjoyed reading it together and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw our girls perusing the pages of this one again before we return it to the library. I know I did.
This book was selected as one of the books for the December 2017- Caldecott Honors 2013-2017 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This nearly wordless book actually has a lot of dialogue, but it's in 'alien' and 'ant,' so we cannot actually read the words. I thought this would pose a problem as we read it aloud, but our youngest was kind enough to provide the sound effects for the different conversations.
We enjoyed looking at the details in the pictures and we loved looking at Mr. Wuffles, especially his piercing stare and his humorous cat antics.
Overall, I can't say that this book replaces Flotsam in our hearts for our favorite of his stories, but we really enjoyed reading it together and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw our girls perusing the pages of this one again before we return it to the library. I know I did.
This book was selected as one of the books for the December 2017- Caldecott Honors 2013-2017 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
September 19, 2017
Bizarre. Absolutely bizarre. If you are into science-fiction and the idea of a cat chasing and playing with an alien ship sounds like a good wordless story to you, then this will probably be more than a three star read for you. Unfortunately, I'm just not into cats and aliens.
August 8, 2017
To my surprise it was a wordless book. I was hoping for a actual story, and it was a strange story that involved this cat and Aliens. It was just to strange.
March 17, 2023
My toddler loves this book!
August 16, 2022
How did I miss this one? Cats! Aliens! Wonderful! Love it!
April 9, 2017
Mr. Wuffles was a story about a cat playing with his toy. But inside one of his toys was something special. He has mini aliens that have escaped from his toy he didn’t know existed.As they’re trying to find there way back home someone else isn’t having that. Will Mr. Wuffles let them go home or keep them hostage?
For this book the cover page really caught my attention. The title “ MR. WUFFLES” was in all cap letters and different colors. Also having a big black caught my attention as well. Having to read book without words was a new challenge for myself. When reading when the aliens were talking I was very confused for example when they had all those conversations in the toy but only have letter was very award for myself. The drawings were great on this book. It had a lot of detail and color for the page and really made you feel like you were in the story. For example,e when the aliens were under the table and hiding it made me feel as if I was on the ground with them. All in all this book would be okay for ages 5-10.
The plot of this story is aliens caught in their toy and Mr. Wuffles catching them. As they try to escape from him and go back to their toy they have a few road blocks. As they run for cover in a hiding spot. They then have to find a way to get back to their spaceship toy. The characters are very simple its Mr. Wuffles the cats and the aliens. Mr. Wuffles is a cat who seems to be very bored and want to play with something or someone. In one the pictures you see him stoping the aliens just to play . And for the aliens there is a large group of them. They’re green and just wanting to be on their spacecraft toy.
When examining the book you can tell a lot of detail and value want into this book. The details are very impressive and at some points have you feeling like youre in the story yourself. Someone that really caught my attention was when the cat was lying down on the floor and the aliens were looking at Mr. Wuffles , it had me feel as if i was in the moment with them. Another big detail that went into the book was the coloring in the book. The color was very eye-catching for the reader.For example in one of pages Mr. Wuffles head became three and the color was done so you had a vivid idea on what is going on in that moment.
While reading this book it was hard for myself to understand this format at certain times. When having no words it made it much more difficult to know what was going so i was just going off my mind and i could be completely wrong. In one of the pages the aliens are all talking and I can’t get what they’re saying. Which could change the whole story line. But I had to tell myself there is no perfect answer for this book so I just went with it. So I can officially say wordless picture books are not a favorite of mine.
For this book the cover page really caught my attention. The title “ MR. WUFFLES” was in all cap letters and different colors. Also having a big black caught my attention as well. Having to read book without words was a new challenge for myself. When reading when the aliens were talking I was very confused for example when they had all those conversations in the toy but only have letter was very award for myself. The drawings were great on this book. It had a lot of detail and color for the page and really made you feel like you were in the story. For example,e when the aliens were under the table and hiding it made me feel as if I was on the ground with them. All in all this book would be okay for ages 5-10.
The plot of this story is aliens caught in their toy and Mr. Wuffles catching them. As they try to escape from him and go back to their toy they have a few road blocks. As they run for cover in a hiding spot. They then have to find a way to get back to their spaceship toy. The characters are very simple its Mr. Wuffles the cats and the aliens. Mr. Wuffles is a cat who seems to be very bored and want to play with something or someone. In one the pictures you see him stoping the aliens just to play . And for the aliens there is a large group of them. They’re green and just wanting to be on their spacecraft toy.
When examining the book you can tell a lot of detail and value want into this book. The details are very impressive and at some points have you feeling like youre in the story yourself. Someone that really caught my attention was when the cat was lying down on the floor and the aliens were looking at Mr. Wuffles , it had me feel as if i was in the moment with them. Another big detail that went into the book was the coloring in the book. The color was very eye-catching for the reader.For example in one of pages Mr. Wuffles head became three and the color was done so you had a vivid idea on what is going on in that moment.
While reading this book it was hard for myself to understand this format at certain times. When having no words it made it much more difficult to know what was going so i was just going off my mind and i could be completely wrong. In one of the pages the aliens are all talking and I can’t get what they’re saying. Which could change the whole story line. But I had to tell myself there is no perfect answer for this book so I just went with it. So I can officially say wordless picture books are not a favorite of mine.
April 2, 2015
Title: Mr. Wuffles! By: David Wiesner Copyright: 2013 Number of Pages: 32 Lit Require: Fantasy/SciFi #1 picture book
This book is about a cat who find a circular object that is really an alien space shuttle. These aliens want to explore the new world, but afraid of the cat and derive a plan to sneak by the cat without it noticing. However, the cat notices and starts to reach for the aliens, but the aliens poke its paw with one of their planet's flags. The aliens escape into an ant hole where its kind of like a caveman type for ants, they have drawings of the cat on the walls of how it has harmed the ants and other insects. The aliens and ants become friends and come up with a plan to get past the cat without harm so they can get back to their ship with the invention they created from all of the stuff the ants have collected. The plan is a success, and the aliens make it back to their ship and fly off. Low and behold the owner of the cat gets it a spaceship toy and the cat wants nothing to do with it.
I did not like this book, I only assumed what the summary was based on the pictures, which could go either way. I would not use this book for my classroom because it would be too confusing and there would be a lot of different opinions about whats really going on in the illustrations.
This book is about a cat who find a circular object that is really an alien space shuttle. These aliens want to explore the new world, but afraid of the cat and derive a plan to sneak by the cat without it noticing. However, the cat notices and starts to reach for the aliens, but the aliens poke its paw with one of their planet's flags. The aliens escape into an ant hole where its kind of like a caveman type for ants, they have drawings of the cat on the walls of how it has harmed the ants and other insects. The aliens and ants become friends and come up with a plan to get past the cat without harm so they can get back to their ship with the invention they created from all of the stuff the ants have collected. The plan is a success, and the aliens make it back to their ship and fly off. Low and behold the owner of the cat gets it a spaceship toy and the cat wants nothing to do with it.
I did not like this book, I only assumed what the summary was based on the pictures, which could go either way. I would not use this book for my classroom because it would be too confusing and there would be a lot of different opinions about whats really going on in the illustrations.
July 5, 2014
Mr. Wuffles can't be bothered with his new cat toys, but he does like playing with the little alien spaceship with the aliens still inside. The aliens manage to escape, hide, and ally themselves with the local insects to repair the damage to their ship and make their escape plan. Will the aliens be able to successfully work with the insects and will they be able to make it past Mr. Wuffles as he lies in wait?
Mr. Wuffles! is a charming nearly wordless picture book. I love Wiesner's art style and his sense of humor. I really enjoyed seeing how the aliens communicated with the insects via the "cave" drawings, too.
I'm pretty sure Mr. Wuffles is my cat, Finn. He disdains the cat toys I buy for him and insists on playing with milk jug rings and twist ties.
I mean look at the level of disdain here:
He also enjoys staring into corners, under furniture, and at the wall.
Here he is at one of his favorite pastimes:
Now, though, I'll wonder if he's looking for aliens amongst the dust bunnies!
Mr. Wuffles! is a charming nearly wordless picture book. I love Wiesner's art style and his sense of humor. I really enjoyed seeing how the aliens communicated with the insects via the "cave" drawings, too.
I'm pretty sure Mr. Wuffles is my cat, Finn. He disdains the cat toys I buy for him and insists on playing with milk jug rings and twist ties.
I mean look at the level of disdain here:
He also enjoys staring into corners, under furniture, and at the wall.
Here he is at one of his favorite pastimes:
Now, though, I'll wonder if he's looking for aliens amongst the dust bunnies!
January 29, 2014
Oh, what a delight. This is well deserving of the 2014 Caldecott honor award.
The sheer creativity of it and the presentation made me smile and laugh.
Mr. Wuffles the cat has many toys that are unused. Price tags attached, they line up on the floor. One day, Mr. Wuffles finds a very interesting toy, shaped like a miniature space ship, and he simply cannot resist it.
As Mr. Wuffles bats and slams and eats and paws the toy, the real life space creatures inside are bounced to the point of dizziness. Alas, too much pounding for the ship results in smoke pouring forth and damage to the ship.
Carefully venturing forth, they carry a flag and their damaged compartment. Very fearful of this huge black monstrosity, they submissively hope for the best.
Any thing more I could write would be a spoiler. Therefore, I'll end with saying this is a book to be read and enjoyed.
It is a rare instance when a creative story and amazing art work meld together to inspire the reader to go back and catch what might have been lost because of the sheer enjoyment of opening the package and devouring the wonderful contents.
Five BIG Stars!!!
The sheer creativity of it and the presentation made me smile and laugh.
Mr. Wuffles the cat has many toys that are unused. Price tags attached, they line up on the floor. One day, Mr. Wuffles finds a very interesting toy, shaped like a miniature space ship, and he simply cannot resist it.
As Mr. Wuffles bats and slams and eats and paws the toy, the real life space creatures inside are bounced to the point of dizziness. Alas, too much pounding for the ship results in smoke pouring forth and damage to the ship.
Carefully venturing forth, they carry a flag and their damaged compartment. Very fearful of this huge black monstrosity, they submissively hope for the best.
Any thing more I could write would be a spoiler. Therefore, I'll end with saying this is a book to be read and enjoyed.
It is a rare instance when a creative story and amazing art work meld together to inspire the reader to go back and catch what might have been lost because of the sheer enjoyment of opening the package and devouring the wonderful contents.
Five BIG Stars!!!
Want to read
May 9, 2018This somewhat wordless picture book, attempts to take a glance into the imagination of a cat. Mr. Wuffles gets a new toy, and it appears to look like a tiny space craft. As he plays with the vessels the tiny Martians inside are takin for a ride. Only after they escape did the fun for Wuffles begin.
Another one of David Wiesner’s master pieces, the pictures communicated the story effortlessly. I would recommend this book for grades Pk-2. I would use the strange language of the Martian’s, for math , or writing. The symbols could be used to recognize patterns, shapes, and as a tally tool. I would ask my early writers to add a word, for the symbols that appear.
Another one of David Wiesner’s master pieces, the pictures communicated the story effortlessly. I would recommend this book for grades Pk-2. I would use the strange language of the Martian’s, for math , or writing. The symbols could be used to recognize patterns, shapes, and as a tally tool. I would ask my early writers to add a word, for the symbols that appear.
January 30, 2015
If you've ever wondered why your cat ignores all the nice squeaky toys you give him (or her) and you always wonder why the cat is stalking around mysteriously after some invisible prey... answers within.
I like how terrifying the cat looks in this book, from the littler creatures' point of view. It's true! If you were tiny, a house cat would be very frightening.
I like how terrifying the cat looks in this book, from the littler creatures' point of view. It's true! If you were tiny, a house cat would be very frightening.
October 8, 2013
I'm going to have to buy this book and shelve it alongside Tuesday, my former favorite Weisner book. This one gives that one a run for its money mainly because it explains SO much of what goes on in my house.
Especially the pictographs of cat carnage I keep finding along baseboards.
Especially the pictographs of cat carnage I keep finding along baseboards.
July 10, 2019
The Secret Life of Pets 3
and an introduction to Scifi, with very few words, Mr. Wuffles! explores the story of a cat who witnesses stranded aliens trying to fix their ship and leave before Mr. Wuffles mistakes them for a new toy. 👽🙀🛸👋
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