'The flat upstairs from Sav is empty, so who or what is making the strange yowling noises she can hear at night? Could it be a ghost cat?! Sav and her best friend Liam decide to investigate, but their ghost hunt takes a very strange turn when Liam gets stuck in the stinky bin room of the flat and it's a new feline friend who helps to get him out. Nothing is quite as it seems in this brilliant new addition to the Little Gems list.'
The latest addition to the Barrington Stoke Little Gems line is the wonderful The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life by Pamela Butchart, which tells the story of two young friends who set out to find out where a mysterious meowing noise is coming from in the empty flat above them.
The story begins with Sav and Liam, two friends, hanging out in Sav's flat, playing games, when they hear a faint meowing noise coming from the flat above them. Sav mentions that she's heard the noise for a few nights now above her room, and is starting to get worried that her elderly neighbour above them might be in trouble. The two of them head up stairs and knock on the door, but receive no response. Sav's mother tells them that the neighbour moved out days ago, and that they must be imagining the noise, she jokes that it might even be a ghost cat.
With the news that the flat above them is empty, the two kids start to formulate a plan to go inside to trap the ghost cat. Sav's always wanted a cat of her own, but her mother is allergic, so a ghost cat would make the perfect pet. When the two of them manage to get inside the flat, however, it sparks a series of events that will see Liam trapped, and the ghost cat having to come to his rescue.
The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life is the perfect kind of book for kids (and parents) with a love for cats. There's something about Sav's desperation to have a pet cat, even willing to have one that's a ghost, that I think a lot of cat lovers will recognise. It's fun to watch the two friends trying to formulate a plan to catch the ghost, and figuring out the mystery of what's making the strange noises that will keep little readers entertained throughout the early stages of the book.
Whilst there is some peril involved in the story it's pretty mild, the kind of situation that kids would imagine is a 'I'm doomed' scenario, yet there's never really any real risk or anything too frightening to be worried about. Plus, the adorable rescuer will grab kids imaginations more than any thoughts that one of the lead characters is in any kind of danger.
The book comes with a number of illustrations throughout, and unlike the books aimed at older readers, the Little Gems line has full colour illustrations. The art has been provided by Monika Filipina, and it has a wonderfully hand drawn quality to it. It looks almost like it's been made using coloured pencils, and has a ton of energy and detail to it that makes the pictures jump off the page; it's sure to capture the imaginations of younger readers and draw them in.
The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life is a fun story with a lot of heart to it. It has mystery, fun, and an ending that tugs at your hearts a little. I think anyone who's ever had that super special connection with their cat will fall in love with the book a little, no matter your age.
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