Findus Disappears! is a bit quirky and a bit sweet, and definitely enjoyable. I loved the little hidden details in the illustrations that reward readers for looking closely--all the items strewn about, the chickens sleeping on the desk, the funny paintings on the walls, and the little creatures called "mumbles" that inhabit Mr. Pettson's house and garden. Kids will laugh at Findus' antics, but they'll also be able to understand Findus' fear when he's lost and feeling trapped.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

This is original, funny, sad and made in such an exquisite way, both gently and with a huge amount of humor, that any reader is rendered helpless to its charm and the author's ingenuity.

I can't remember when I last read a book that's as much for young kids as for old ones.

Pettsson, an old man who lives in the countryside, is in need of a friend. He thought about getting himself an old lady, but then again, naw, that'd be too much trouble. Something smaller, perhaps? Well, a dog! No...it'd require too much attention? But how about a little cat? his friend asked. Well...

The day after his friend had brought along a box which read "Findus green peas" [Findus being a household brand in Sweden]; as he opened the box, Findus stood on all fours, tiny as a button.

They instantly became best friends, and one day, as Pettsson was reading the paper about a clown, Findus' first words were "I want pants like that!".

This marks the start of the tale which is only a bunch of pages long, and is utterly remarkable because of several things. Nordqvist is an absolutely fantastic and remarkable writer as well as an extremely meticulous and funny illustrator. Findus comes alive with every stroke of his pens, and what goes on in the background - constantly! - makes for great re-reads.

I'm 34 years old and really nearly wept upon seeing Findus crying while hiding from a "monster". Art moves me, I guess. I realise the author hasn't really created any monsters or black-and-white imagery which feels great to me; I hate it when people try to present two diametrical versions of good and bad, without anything in-between - which so often is the case.

All in all, this is an absolutely brilliant tale and I'm very glad to see that it's available in other languages as well. Long live Pettson & Findus, as well as Sven Nordqvist! ( )

Findus möchte von Petterson zum wiederholten Male die Geschichte hören, wie die beiden zusammen kamen. So erfahren wir, dass sich Petterson recht einsam fühlte und die Nachbarin ihm vorschlug, er solle sich doch eine Frau nehmen. Doch dafür fühlte sich Petterson zu alt, er wollte leben wie bisher. Daher brachte sie ihm dann einen winzig kleinen Kater in einem Karton, in dem einmal Erbsen von Findus waren. So hatte Findus dann gleich seinen Namen.
Zunächst bleibt Findus im Haus, aber bald schon werden seine Kreise größer und er begleitet Petterson zu den Hühnern und in den Garten. Aber auf einmal ist er allein auf unbekanntem Terrain und er fürchtet sich. So erlebt Findes sein erstes Abenteuer.
Natürlich geht alles gut aus, aber es ist eine Geschichte zum mitfiebern. So lernt Findus Freunde kennen und erfährt, dass nicht alles Unbekannte gefährlich ist.
Die wunderschönen Illustration laden zum Entdecken von vielen unterhaltsamen Details ein.
Ein wunderschönes und unterhaltsames Kinderbuch. ( )

Oh goodness. Such a delightful story about love & friendship and courage. Heartwarming and silly, simultaneously. I love the muckles... I surely do hope I can find more of these stories - if only I had grandchildren and so could justify buying them! ( )

I love the Findus book series. They are sweet, simple and have wonderful illustrations. In this story, we learn how Findus the cat actually becomes Pettson's pet. I like to read these books to my seven year old daughter. ( )