Pawprints in Time

In this very attractive book, illustrated in a soft photographic style reminiscent of Gary Blythe's, the 'pawprints' in question are those of Anna's cat, 'a cat with stories to tell'. Each evening Cat disappears, to return in Anna's dreams, dreams of times past and places faraway. Cat's shadowy presence in scenes from his nine lives - from Ancient Egypt and Rome, the Far East, medieval Europe and pioneering America - invites the sensitive reader to find out more. This is a achieved by a concise and gently repetitive text, which together with the illustration creates a romantic evocation of other worlds. A note on the jacket suggests a readership of 3-8 year olds. Though there is not much text, this book would be appreciated most by children at the upper end of this range and beyond, appealing as it does to the imagination and depending on some knowledge of the contexts for its effect. It might well enthuse and inspire early KS2 children in their search for an undertanding of history, while avoiding the didactic approach.