A Cat Called Waverley

Waverley was a cat with no home – but he has one special friend, Donald. Then his life changes; Donald leaves – he has enlisted and been posted abroad to a war zone. At first it is not too bad – but as familiar faces leave and familiar places disappear, Waverley is truly homeless. The only place that remains familiar is Waverley Station in Edinburgh so that is where he stays. But what has happened to Donald? Will Waverley ever find his best friend?

Illustrated in Gliori’s distinctive style but here eschewing her usual bold colour palette, the images follow the written text closely. Monochrome line drawings occasionally highlighted with a single colour, yellow, emphasise Waverley’s peripatetic and solitary existence. Meanwhile, Donald’s story is told in bold crayon wash overlaid with the yellow of the desert sand while expansive double page spreads create a real sense of distance and dislocation. The final moment of reunion combines the soft crayon with a mellow orange; Donald may be homeless – but home does not always mean four walls. Gliori tells us that her inspiration came from a real-life situation, one which she has used to create a story that can encourage thought, reflection and open the door to empathy among its young readers. There is no attempt to point out a moral or lesson, the story, warm and engaging, is left to speak for itself.