Why am I passionate about this?
As the author of The Cat Who Ate Christmas, I love a book about a cat who is cunning, quirky, perhaps calamity-prone, but also a cutie. There are plenty of books about loving pets, but their characters all seem to be too earnest, too driven to do the right thing. Not with cats! They will lie, cheat and do what it takes to get what they want… as long as it doesn’t get in the way of nap time. Cats are anti-heroes by nature, aren’t they? That’s why they make the best animals to read about – and an absolute dream to write about.
Lil's book list on frisky fictional felines (for children)
Why did Lil love this book?
The original and best. Puss in Boots is an Italian fairytale, first recorded in 1550, told and retold by many people including the Brothers Grimm and the Disney corporation. This crafty cat charms and connives his way to the very top – to royalty, no less!
The miller’s son was disappointed to receive a cat as a gift from his father. But the cat – who asks only for a pair of boots – tricks the miller’s son into getting naked and robs his clothes… just as the King and his daughter are passing. The King’s daughter falls in love with the miller’s son and, convinced by Puss’s trickery that the miller’s son is a rich marquis, marries him.
Rather than rags to riches, this is a boots to riches tale.
1 author picked Puss in Boots as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.
This beautiful hardback Ladybird edition of Puss in Boots is a perfect first illustrated introduction to this classic fairy tale for young readers from 3+. Ladybird Tales are based on the original Ladybird retellings by Vera Southgate, with beautiful pictures of the kind children like best - full of richness and detail.
Children have always loved, and will always remember, these classic fairy tales and sharing them together is an experience to treasure. Ladybird has published fairy tales for over forty-five years, bringing the magic of traditional stories to each new generation of children.
Other exciting titles in the Ladybird…
- Coming soon!