The adventures of Mittens by Silvio Bruinsma. Illus. by Phoebe Morris

Sub-titled Wellington's Famous Purr-sonality, this is based on the real-life adventures of Mittens the cat, who is a well-known cat about town in Wellington, New Zealand. The story recounts a week in the life of Mittens, who leaves his brother Latte at home and heads out on an adventures. Children will love watching as he visits some of his favourite spots: trying on hats in the clothing store, hiding amongst the flowers in the florist and stopping at his favourite drinking spot. He meets many people along the way as he stops in at the hairdresser, the police station and an office building and on Saturday is presented with the keys to the city. Sunday is family time and he spends it curled up at home with his brother.

This is a very short, rhyming text perfect for young cat lovers, particularly those who might have a visiting or roaming cat of their own. There is a small write-up at the back of the book about the real Mittens and Latte and the back cover has a helpful list of tips to help family cats co-exist with local wildlife (an important consideration at a time when many areas are clamping down on free-roaming cats). Soft illustrations perfectly complement the gentle flow of the story and showcase the diversity of the Wellington community.

Themes: Cats, Rhyming Stories.

Nicole Nelson