The Cat Lady - Hardcover

DICK KING-SMITH was a Gloucestershire farmer until the age of 45, when he gave up farming to become a primary school teacher. Now a bestselling full-time author, his work has received many awards including a Bronze Medal for the Smarties Prize of l997 for All Because of Jackson and the Children's Book Award in l995 for Harriet's Hare. In l992, he was also voted Children's Author of the Year. In l995, his top-selling title The Sheep-Pig was developed into a box-office movie, BABE, introducing hundreds of thousands of youngsters to his work.

Grade 2-4–In this beginning chapter book set in 1901, Muriel Ponsonby, aka the Catlady, keeps a large number of felines on her large country estate. The eccentric woman is a firm believer in reincarnation; she examines each new kitten thoughtfully and can determine if it's someone she once knew or just an ordinary cat. As the story opens, her deceased parents are living with her. She is both surprised and pleased to find Queen Victoria among her latest arrivals. The royal guest is allowed to eat first, has a bed of honor, and receives all other special treatments befitting a monarch. Miss Ponsonby secures a village girl to help around the house and develops a strong friendship with Mary. When the elderly woman finally dies, the property is left to the Royal Society for the Protection of Cats, with young Mary in charge. Naturally, she has been thoroughly swayed to the idea when the reincarnated Miss Ponsonby shows up as a strange and confident cat six months later. Sprinkled with black-and-white sketches deftly portraying the tale's subtle British humor, The Catlady will appeal to King-Smith fans. A lighthearted glimpse into the feline world.–Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI
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