THERE IS NOT USUALLY A HOLE

An absurd situation paves the way for friendship.

Betsy, a red cat who’s unquestionably devoted to a lizardlike stuffie named Philippa, lives a rather typical life—up until the day they spot a rather large hole, right smack dab in the middle of the street. Betsy has just vowed to ignore it when suddenly the words “WAAAAAH! I can’t find you…” emanate from within, shortly followed by a banana flung from its depths. Intrigued, Betsy decides that the pair should keep an eye on the hole, but they’ll need snacks, so Betsy sets off. In the interim, Philippa disappears (presumably down the aforementioned hole). Diving in to look for her, Betsy discovers a whole world of different creatures beneath the surface, including a cheery crocodile named Nelson who’s also lost a stuffie (a kitty named Josephine), which Betsy has found along the way. Hirst relies on a distinct screen-printed style full of bold colors and even bolder characters. The inherent humor of finding a mysterious hole and then exploring its depths is a distinct enticement, but it’s the relationship between Betsy and Philippa (and then, in time, Betsy and Nelson) that gives the book its heart and soul. That Betsy is a cat with a lizard stuffie and Nelson is a reptile with a feline plush toy just adds to the fun.

A journey into the unknown yields friends both old and new in a tale that’s one part diverting and two parts charming.