Mog the witch's cat encounters some difficulties in this eighth entry in the Meg and Mog series, finding himself seriously unwell and subject to Meg's magical care. Swallowing the potion she has concocted for him, he undergoes a series of colorful transformations, but it is only when an x-ray spell is cast - "Baked boiled grilled or fried / Show us what's in Mog's inside" - that the cause of the trouble is revealed. Unfortunately for Mog, his treat, once he is feeling better, lands him back in bed again until Christmas...

With plenty of humorous hi-jinks, and brightly colored illustrations that suit the characters' madcap antics to a T, Mog's Mumps is another enjoyable entry in Helen Nicoll and Jan Pieńkowski's witchy picture-book series. Readers already familiar with the trio of Meg, Mog and Owl will know what to expect - i.e.: catastrophe - when Meg steps in to solve the problem with magic, and will not be disappointed. As always, the little exclamations and asides to be found in the speech bubbles - Owl's exasperated "He's eaten too much again," eyes rolled upward, when the fish skeletons are revealed in Mog's tummy - add to the sense of fun. Recommended to young readers who enjoy witchy fare of a more humorous kind. ( )