Who remembers “What-a-Mess?”

“What-a-Mess” is the nickname given to a fictional accident-prone Afghan Hound puppy (his real name is Prince Amir of Kinjan) who appears in a series of children’s books written by British comedy writer, Frank Muir, and illustrated by Joseph Wright.

Sadly, Frank Muir died in 1998, but as an adult, he kept Afghan Hounds. It was from these magnificent creatures that he drew inspiration for the puppy who is often muddy, forever poking his nose where it doesn’t belong, accident prone, and is so often covered in leaves from eating trees that people cry, ‘WHAT A MESS!” upon seeing him. It’s not surprising, then, that the pup grows up believing his name is “What-a-mess.”

The books were made into three animated series, all narrated by the author, and while the book illustrations of the puppy aren’t all that “Afghan Hound-like,” those who’ve read the books have fond memories of them, and of Afghan Hounds. You can still find the books on Amazon.