The Pawed Piper
Michelle Robinson and Chinlun Lee
Walker Books

Michelle Robinson’s moggy twist on the Pied Piper legend was specially written for illustrator Chinlun Lee because her home in Taiwan has an over-abundance of cats. In addition Chinlun asked others to send pictures of their cats to her and as a consequence every feline featured herein is real.

The story begins with the small girl narrator telling us of her desire for a cat. She then relates how she goes about acquiring such a cuddlesome creature by means of kitty creature comforts along with some advice from her gran.

Preparations done, the child waits … and waits, but not even a kitten comes so she retires to bed, cuddles up with a book and falls asleep.
Suddenly though, something soft, warm and purry disturbs her slumbers: it’s her gran’s Hector but he’s brought some friends along with him, rather a lot of them.

Sixty seven moggies of all shapes, colours and sizes.

The next day our narrator enjoys the company of her new feline friends but on her way to return Hector to her gran, she makes a rather alarming discovery … She’s not the only one looking for a cat …

Gran’s instruction to return all her new acquisitions seems somewhat unfair but back at home the little girl makes an exciting discovery.

Even if like this reviewer, you’re not a feline fan, you’ll likely fall for Michelle’s furry tale that breaks into rhyme from time to time. Chinlun Lee’s cat characters are terrific – every one looks different and despite my allergy I almost felt myself reaching out to stroke some of the softest seeming, most cuddlesome-looking ones among them.

Snuggle up and share with your little ones, with or without an accompanying moggy and make sure you look at the endpapers.