Review by Ian Keogh

Given their entirely different personalities, it might seem as if cats August and Charlie would be incompatible, but instead they’re so in tune with each other they’re able to pair up to fight crime and help people out using their incredible mechanical dog suit, Sparks. They’ve regained the public’s trust since the trouble caused by an imposter in Double Dog Dare, and are helped by the robot Litter Box and squirrel Steve-o.

Their friends are concerned about them being less effective because they’re exhausted, so August and Charlie agree to take a holiday. Their mistake is heading to a place suggested by Stevie-o that’s actually an alien spacecraft disguised as a tropical island. As it’s not been used for a while, there seems to be a problem, and it’s randomly opening portals in time and space.

That’s the opportunity for Ian Boothby to write short chapters showing how the cats cope in different time periods. At first this is without the Sparks suit as August and Charlie are adopted by a young girl in the old West. How will they cope? Perhaps by putting together a different type of mechanical suit.

It’s not necessary to have read the earlier Sparks! books as necessary information is explained along the way, and Nina Matsumoto’s attractive cartooning makes everything look so lively and thrilling. Because the adventure’s a little stranger this time, the art is even funnier than usual, not least because there are more full page illustrations with jokes through time.

Two new characters are shown on the cover. The budgie might just seem there for decoration, but has a large role in what happens, while the cheerful little girl is Emma, with whom August once lived. One of the decisions that needs to be made with the possibility of meddling with time is whether things can be rearranged so Emma and August were never separated.

Due to the extra emotional content Future Purrfect is as funny as ever, but also very sweet, so ideal reading for youngsters.