May 2015 Book of the Month There’s a lovely traditional feel to this book. It’s set in Slopp-on-Sea, and stars a little girl called Milk (she was abandoned on a milk cart as a baby, hence the name), who lives with her granddad. Granddad is a bit confused and prone to wandering off, though he never comes to harm, and one day he returns from the beach with a strange old book in his pocket. In the book is a recipe for the mysterious Porridge of Knowledge, which of course Milk makes. The Porridge does indeed transform anyone and anything who eats it, from ants to the children in Milk’s class. The main plot concerns the nasty family who have moved into Slopp, and care nothing about dumping toxic waste into the bay, and the Porridge helps Milk and her neighbours see them off. Funny, and slightly silly too, this is a proper adventure story, and the relationship between Milk and her Granddad is beautifully observed. ~Andrea Reece
Magic gloop, evil baddies and a ridiculous amount of food abound in this super-silly story Milk lives in the grubby seaside town of Slopp-on-Sea - a rubbish name for a rubbish town. But Milk's life is pretty rubbish too, so it fits. She loves her Granddad, but nowadays he's always wandering off somewhere, or asking her befuddled questions. Then one day, he comes back from one of his jaunts with a battered book in his hand containing a recipe for The Porridge of Knowledge. Intrigued, Milk enlists the help of her friend Carp to try the recipe. At first it looks like all they've managed to create is a lump of malodorous goo - but then they notice the ants (who have been nibbling the porridge) building a mashed potato replica of the leaning tower of Pisa...So they decide to try it out on themselves. And the results are incredible! Suddenly Milk and Carp are thecleverest people in town - and Granddad is back to his normal self. Milk and Carp are about to discover that sometimes a little bit of knowledge goes a long way...
This is a delightfully nutty story, fizzing with energy, colourful characters and a lively use of language. -- Sally Morris Daily Mail
Praise for Jumblecat
Magic gloop and evil baddies abound in a playful comedy adventure from the Jumblecat author. The Bookseller
Author
About Archie Kimpton
Ever since reading 'sodium monofluorophosphate' on the side of a toothpaste tube, Archie Kimpton has enjoyed putting words together and seeing what comes out. He graduated from Manchester University in 1991 and has spent the last twenty years in preparation for this moment of authordom - flogging salami, script writing, book binding and care working in the interim.
Jumblecat is his first novel.
He lives in south London with his wife, kids and Doonican, the diabetic cat and sometime-inspiration for his animal cruelty based stories (only joking, Dooni).
May 2015 Book of the Month There’s a lovely traditional feel to this book. It’s set in Slopp-on-Sea, and stars a little girl called Milk (she was abandoned on a milk cart as a baby, hence the name), who lives with her granddad. Granddad is a bit confused and prone to wandering off, though he never comes to harm, and one day he returns from the beach with a strange old book in his pocket. In the book is a recipe for the mysterious Porridge of Knowledge, which of course Milk makes. The Porridge does indeed transform anyone and anything who eats it, from ants to the children in Milk’s class. The main plot concerns the nasty family who have moved into Slopp, and care nothing about dumping toxic waste into the bay, and the Porridge helps Milk and her neighbours see them off. Funny, and slightly silly too, this is a proper adventure story, and the relationship between Milk and her Granddad is beautifully observed. ~ Andrea Reece 
