December 15, 2004
Gr. 3-5. After a perfectly wonderful eighth birthday, Nell spends the next day searching the farm for her lost cat. Mishap follows disappointment, leaving Nell feeling dejected until she finds her cat and a few more than she bargained for. Little sets the story in the past (perhaps the late-nineteenth century), but if the time period is vague, many concrete details of place and relationships help bring Nell's character to life for contemporary readers. With 14 attractive, shaded-pencil drawings, this volume will particularly appeal to children who are ready for chapter books but still want plenty of pictures. A combination of good writing and innocent charm.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)