The Little Lost Kitten; Holly Webb, illustrated by Abigail Hookham

The titular Little Lost Kitten is the tonic for healing in another stellar story from the fabulous Holly Webb.

Lucy’s days have been grey and sad ever since her beloved cat Patch had to be put to sleep at the vet. When an adorable grey kitten turns up in the garden, it is just what Lucy needs to help lift her spirits. The two soon become the best of friends which makes it all the more terrible when the little kitten vanishes. Will Lucy and the kitten be reunited? Will dad let Lucy keep her new best friend…

Holly writes beautiful animal stories and this purr-fect early chapter book is the cat’s whiskers. It begins by tugging at the heart strings, gently exploring the loss of a pet, before leaving us feeling all content and with warmed hearts in a satisfying conclusion and a family made whole once again.

Animal enthusiasts, especially cat-lovers, will adore this tender tale of a family in need of a kitten and a kitten in need of a family. The joy of a kindhearted human being able to provide a safe and loving home for a stray in need is the feel-good factor that we all could do with.

Owning a pet is incredibly rewarding but it is also very emotional. The animal, cat or otherwise, may only be with you for a small part of your life but it will spend the entirety of its life with you. Watching them grow and live their best life brings much happiness but the inescapable sadness at watching them age and eventually die brings its own challenges. Anyone who has experienced the trauma of losing a pet will instantly recognise Lucy and her dad’s sadness and emotional grief; just seeing the kitten on the street for the first time immediately brings back memories of Patch. This is balanced perfectly with the warm and fuzzy feeling when a new animal unexpectedly comes into your life - the little lost kitten, who Lucy names Misty, is the perfect pick-me-up.

Told over eight short chapters and featuring Abigail Hookman’s beautiful and emotion-filled illustrations, it is an ideal read for children who are beginning to engage with longer books, and will ably support them in building up their reading stamina. As with all Barrington Stoke titles the book is published using dyslexic friendly font and colours so everyone can enjoy this touching read.

Recommended for 5+.

With huge thanks to Barrington Stoke for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.