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Plum Duff is a Scottish pipe-smoking plum decked out in appropriate highland fashion. This likable cartoon character comes with humorous puns and two supporting companions: a prune Danish wearing a Viking helmet and a mischievous Crabb Apple. The panels on occasion also feature everything from a stale cup of coffee to a jumbo-sized elephant. Each of the punchlines ranges from the quickest of chuckle-inducing to the most assuredly enthralling. The characters are often portrayed as the shameless practitioners of these punchlines. At other times they serve as the audience's reactions to these jokes. Each of them brings something to the table, and there is never a hint of repetition among the gags.
Not every book has to be weighed down by sweeping drama or graphic situations, and not every tale needs to be concerned with the great trials and tribulations of the human experience. Some books simply can and should be fun. The very pinnacle of this carefree category of literature can also be downright refreshing. This book is, without question, a prime example of the latter. It is a balm of relaxing and wholesome fun at the end of any day. It's impossible not to become enraptured by the adventures of these three charming personalities.
This collection of the author's columns is rich, colorful, and tailor-made to put a smile on one's face. It is a welcome reminder that it's okay to simply enjoy oneself. The author's work is a nice escape from calculating characters and tense showdowns with villains. Not every book has the good fortune of such silly main characters, and not every author does them such rewarding justice as Spencer does.