The adorable Mog, a somewhat befuddled and forgetful feline whose many misadventures only serve to make her more beloved of her human family, is back in this third story devoted to her doings, originally published in 1980. Contentedly playing with Nicky, who is home sick from school, Mog is less-than-thrilled when family neighbour Mrs Clutterbuck drops her infant child off at the Thomas' house for minding. Mrs Thomas may maintain that "Mog loves babies," but the newcomer's loud squalling, and insistent poking and pulling, prove more than the disgruntled feline can stand. Hoping to find a little peace and quiet, Mog escapes out the window, only to discover that the baby has followed her... all the way to the street! When danger threatens, Mog - who, whatever her general feelings about babies, is as good-hearted a puss as ever lived - knows what to do.

Since reading her first adventure, I have adored the plumply appealing Mog, whose story was chronicled by Judith Kerr over the course of thirty-two years (1970-2002), in the pages of sixteen picture-books. This kitty's expressions, whether of contentment or fright, are invariably droll, and her frequent confusion and moments of unhappiness invariably make me want to reach into the book and smush her little face (an action that would be as welcome, I would imagine, as the baby's tail-tugging). I'm happy to have been able to track down this third entry in the series, as not all of the Mog titles are available in the USA. Thankfully, the library here has a complete set! Humorous and sweet - the contrast between Mrs Thomas' blithe assurances that Mog loves babies, and Mog's actual expressions is particularly amusing - Mog and the Baby is another entertaining tale of Mog the forgetful cat. ( )

When a baby is dropped off at Mog's house for the day, the baby is totally fascinated with Mog, but Mog is NOT interested in the baby. To escape, Mog jumps out the window, but the baby follows -- and even tries to follow Mog across the road. But there is a bad dog on the other side of the street, so Mog quickly turns around, and in doing so, bumps into the baby, inadvertently pushing it out of the path of an oncoming car and back onto the safety of the sidewalk. The baby's mother thinks Mog was a very brave cat to save her baby and she gets a reward -- a big fish to eat. ( )