In the shelter, Violet dreams of ruling a kingdom with sharp claws and velvet paws. When ever a human comes to look at her she arches her back and hisses and spits.
But one day a man human and a lady human watch her long enough, and she lays down on the royal bed (in her imagination) and purrs. The humans decide they want to give her a chance.
So back to Violet, she hisses and spits...
When she's on her own, she catches mousies (real ones in the yard!) and rolls in the grass. Some kitties have all the luck! I'd put up with dogs in the house, if I could play outside by myself with no Daddies to tell me not to eat the grass...it looks so yummy!
One day (back to Violet again) three stray doggies come to bark at Violet when the rest of her new family are out fishing. The mean dogs chase her all over the yard until she yowls at the top of her lungs. Scary!
Then her doggies, Zippety and George, and her humans come to her rescue...She's so happy that she and Zippety and George roll in the grass together. The next time the family goes fishing, she goes too AND she snuggles up with the dogs--hmm, I never thought about snuggling up with dogs. Not sure I like that idea. Violet finds ruling with velvet paws makes her happier than ruling with sharp claws.
Well, I am just glad she got the kingdom she wanted. I did too. I got two daddies and a brother to boss (and chase) around. This is my perfect kingdom (notice I did not stoop to saying "purrfect" that is not a real word).
I like the illustrations by Ard Hoyt too. Violet and the doggies have some pretty human expressions, but I think humans need that in their books. It seems to be in most of the books Daddy Tim and I read together. I especially like the pictures of Violet rolling in the grass and catching a mousie (she whomps it with her whole paw!) Daddy Tim says Ard Hoyt is easy on the eyes...I think except for size, all humans look pretty much the same...
Good book and I think little humans will like it too especially all the animal noises their mommies and daddies will have to make when reading it. (Although I thought the cover should be Violet on her pillow not looking so sad!)
Today's Tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): We all know that it is great to have the windows open if you aren't lucky enough to have one of those magical devices called a "cat door." BUT in the summer, sometimes it is better if your humans close the windows and turn on the blowey things in the floor. For some reason the air that comes out of there is cooler than the air outside...I don't know where it comes from. You can still look out the windows; you just can't smell out the windows. And often the blowey things in the floor will roll up your left-behind fur (if your humans haven't cleared it out in a few days), and you can chase it across the floor and pounce on it like a mouse! Fun! Closed windows in the summer aren't all bad. They save you from being melty and too hot.