Spud and Snowball and Chattercat (Spud and Snowball #2) by Judith Rossell

Title: Spud and Snowball and Chattercat (Spud and Snowball #2)

Author: Judith Rossell

Genre: Contemporary

Publisher: HarperCollins Australia

Published: 1^st September 2026

Format: Paperback

Pages: 128

Price: $15.99

Synopsis: Two cheeky cats get up to all sorts of mischief in this wonderful illustrated series for emerging readers from a beloved Australian creator.

Every day, Spud and Snowball lie in the sun and sleep. When they’re woken by a scary noise under the bed, the two cats are fearful it’s a monster. Instead, they meet Chattercat, who doesn’t stop shouting, racing and playing games!

Can Spud and Snowball keep up and win all the prizes?

A cheeky tale that will have young readers giggling from the bestselling, award-winning creator Judith Rossell.

~*~

Spud and Snowball are back, and ready for a new adventure in their house. This time, they’re settling down in the sun for a nap when they hear something scary under the bed. What kind of monster is out there to get them? Is it going to attack?

Never fear, it’s just Chattercat, who won’t stop racing, shouting and playing…and demanding prizes. All the shiny prizes that Spud and Snowball want to and need to find.

This is another cheeky tale about teamwork, working against a common enemy, or in this case, a toy that is out of control, and keeping the peace. Chattercat is no ordinary toy. He is some kind of robot, but how is he being controlled? It’s a little freaky as well as funny, because it is a confusing entity at first.

Chattercat is a strange entity. A toy, a robot that has obviously been designed to entertain Spud and Snowball. But it has other ideas, sentient ideas almost that confuse the cats, because how can something robotic and programmed to do certain things outsmart them?

The story is revolves around Chattercat’s attempts to win at everything, and Spud and Snowball trying to outsmart it. They’re drawn into Chattercat’s games and demands, and quite cleverly solve problems that come along, even though this antics with Chattercat have rudely interrupted their sleep schedule. They also like to win shiny, glittery prizes, so they’re keen to play the game.

In this second book I the series, things don’t go quite as Spud and Snowball expect, heading towards a hilarious story that revolves around how using ingenuity and creativity is beneficial and can outsmart a robot. Spud and Snowball work out what is going on pretty quickly, and even when they still fall for Chattercat’s games, they’re determined to win.

It’s a battle of wits and smarts against a robot that seems to be able to do anything. A toy that Spud and Snowball should be able outsmart. This is a fun addition to the series and shows the cats in doing what they do best, trying to be lazy and get something they want. It’s fun to see them take on a new challenge, and how they playtime works in a chaotic house that I kept wondering what happened when the family back to everything being ruined or messy.

This was a lot of fun to read, to see where Spud and Snowball are now, what they enjoy beyond Kitty-Bix and sleep. We never really know what cats get up to when we leave them at home, so this is a fun insight into what their world is like when they are alone.

These cats are cheeky and fun, and their series is a lot of fun to read. It’s a great bridge between early readers and junior fiction, and is even great for middle grade readers who want something fun and light. It’s full of laughs and joy, and I hope readers enjoy the next installment.