If you love cats of any kind, you will enjoy this story. I donated this to my public library and the librarian thought it would be a great read aloud for children and parents.

This adorable story will thrill young cat lovers.

Felix, “a fine city cat” is looking for adventure, and so he goes off to visit his “family.” First he travels to India to visit a tiger, China to visit a snow leopard, Russia to see his cousin Mr. Lynx, the Southwest desert of the U.S. to see his cousin Mr. Puma, Brazil to see a panther, and Africa to see his cousin Mr. Lion. There are cultural references in each place Felix visits. He finally returns home and is happy to see his own city.

The author ends with, “And so, dear reader, when in the future you can’t find your cat…” and you’ve looked everywhere, just maybe your cat is:

". . . off eating midnight snacks in Brazil, prawns and scrambled eggs in India, blinis and caviar in Russia, or tea and herring from the Bering Strait in China. Or maybe your cat is somewhere in Africa, sunk in a dreamy sleep under an acacia tree. Remember that. And be patient.”

Acrylics by Simona Mulazzani are colorful and fun - a bit in the style of Henri Rousseau - and make it clear the nighttime travels of the cat are fantasies or maybe dreams. The back endpapers are full of drawings of cats.

Evaluation: This is sort of a “Where the Wild Things Are” for cats. Children will learn about faraway places, and a little biology in the process. ( )