Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
A Cat Named Swan
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Random House Books for Young Readers, 2017 ISBN: 978-0553537444
One day a kitten woke up to discover that he was all alone. His mother and siblings were gone. The kitten went exploring and encountered many dangers including dogs and bicycles, and yet somehow he survived, finding food where he could.
Then one day the kitten was picked up by an animal control officer and he was taken to an animal shelter. Here at least he had warmth, food, and company, though his life was rather boring.
There finally came a day when the “boredom ended.” The kitten was picked up by strangers, he was taken away from the shelter, and he found himself in a new and strange environment full of people of different sizes. And a dog. It was frightening, at first, but over time the kitten, who was now named Swan, began to get used to his new life. He got to know his new home and the people who lived there, and he came to understand that “the people were his people and he was theirs.”
This charming tale tells the story of a little cat who has a very rough start in life. Thankfully he is lucky enough to be adopted by people who love him dearly and cherish his company. Readers will worry about the kitten when they first meet him on the pages of this book, and they will be delighted when his hard and perilous life changes for the better.
