Reviewed by
Mary
What child wouldn’t like to have a penpal? Banjo the Traveling Cat is the perfect international friend!
His adventuring has taken him to Argentina, with the excitement of delicious food, the tango dancing, and of course meeting new animal friends.
There’s lots to read about, as well as some prompts for the recipient to write back.
The return letter is one of the bonuses of Banjo Robinson. Included with his letter is a piece of writing paper and and envelope, so children can send Banjo their own letter! Even the most reluctant writer will want to let this cute cat know what’s happening in their life. Banjo also prompts for drawings, which is another useful thing for children who may not be so confident of their writing.
The mailing system is very clever, as children leave their reply under the sofa for a local cat to collect. Or rather for parents to sneak away overnight and save as a lovely souvenir of childhood.
You can also see a sticker sheet with a personalised sticker plus other fun themes, and stamps for their own special cat mail letter. This time there’s also a ‘churros’ sticker, which refer to churros being eaten on Banjo’s adventures. And if you haven’t tried churros, do, they’re delicious!
As well as the writing kit and stickers, there’s also a lovely little colouring sheet, again detailing things from Banjo’s letter.
And extra clever feature of the letter is that parents can include their own personal PS. You get an email prompt to fill this out before each letter is sent, and it’s the perfect way for parents to make the letter that little bit more personal, perhaps referencing the child’s recent achievements or events, or even a reminder to do their homework!
We also discovered a lovely bonus – Banjo sends birthday cards!
My daughter was utterly thrilled to receive her very own card from Banjo on her birthday. And it wasn’t just ‘Dear X, Happy Birthday from Banjo’. It was a properly chatty card, with personal references (from the information you give when you first sign up) complete with a paw print.
This makes what is always a wonderful product even better!
By Evelyn 
