David and the Kittens

If you are more familiar with this author having written fast-moving, award-winning thrillers, this picture book for all ages may surprise you. It is a jewel of a book, full of ‘awe and wonder’. Known for his love of cats during his lifetime, Westall shows great affection for the mother cat and her kittens, and such a tender relationship between the youthful Grandmother and grandson. Every stage of the cat’s late pregnancy is well told, in text and pictures, and the reader is made aware of the miracle of birth, whilst accepting it as a natural event. The child (9 or 10) is curious at every stage, and all his questions are answered precisely. When it is time to dispose of the kittens, the child is fully involved, putting advertisements in the village shops and discussing people’s preferences as the kittens are selected. Grandmother tells him: ‘You’ve got to love them and cuddle them non-stop, or else they turn into very dull cats.’ Beautifully illustrated and crafted by a masterly hand, this is a book for every cat-loving family to treasure, a must for every library in the land. Well done, Hodder, for this re-publication.