Gofrette, a chunky black-and-white cat done in bold outline and felt marker, first appeared in a wallpaper pattern by Brasset and Michot working together as designers under the name Zanimo. Now Zanimo is the land where Gofrette and his friends live in this series of four picture books, newly translated from their popular French editions published in Quebec.

These books are full of action: Gofrette and his friend Blue the Dog are always camping, skiing, diving, or learning the art of the trapeze. The stories move quickly from beginning to end, and each scene is packed full of child-familiar details drawn in wonky perspective. The illustrations are quite different from the painterly artwork in many picture books, but their amateurish style and almost garish colours will appeal highly to young children, who might find the drawings simple enough that they’ll try recreating them themselves.

Gofrette Gets Wet introduces the characters and tells the story of Gofrette practising his goofy high dive for the circus. In Blueberry-Fish Soup, Gofrette deals with funny, evil purple raccoons on a camping trip. In Hot Chocolate Moose, Blue and Gofrette become lost on a skiing trip and are rescued by a red moose who makes great hot chocolate. Fat, Furry and Funny finds them at the circus visiting Gofrette’s cousin, Garbanzo El Magnifico (whose name gets laughs from children every time it crops up).

There are silly puns and references that adults reading aloud will enjoy. Although to an adult ear the plots border on the banal and the language is occasionally awkward or too cute, the Gofrette stories are just the right level for younger children, and have good dialogue for out-loud reading, with many aaahs, boings, and whees. Each brightly coloured book is printed on extra-thick paper with sturdy covers to withstand many page turnings.