Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
May 5, 2016/in Fiction 8-10 Junior/Middle /by Angie Hill
BfK Rating:
BfK 218 May 2016
Reviewer: Matthew Martin
ISBN: 978-1846884009
Price: £7.99
Publisher: Alma Books Ltd
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 8-10 Junior/Middle
Length: 124pp
Buy the Book

The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught her to Fly

Author: Luis SepulvedaIllustrator: Satoshi Kitamura

This wonderful story of an orphaned seagull and the cat who promised its dying mother he would teach her chick to fly has all the qualities of the very best fables. An act of bravery and generosity enabled Zorba the fat black cat to enjoy a happy life in the port of Hamburg: a young boy saved him as a kitten from the beak of a pelican and the two have been friends and companions ever since. When a seagull caked in oil crashes onto Zorba’s balcony he is generous too, promising to look after the egg she is about to lay and the chick. And he does, with the help of some of the other port cats, surely some of the noblest on the planet. They keep the egg safe but problems start when the chick hatches. Even though the cats have access to a complete set of encyclopaedias, owned by the cat Einstein, they just can’t teach Lucky the little gull to fly. But a cat of the port always lives up to his word. The animals decide they’ll have to look for help beyond the animal world, and approach a human, the author of the book in fact. With the help of a beautiful poem by Bernado Atxaga the fledgling finally and gloriously takes to the skies.

Messages about love, kindness, and the rewards of treating all living things as equals are all contained in this charming story, as well as warnings about the damage humans are doing to the world. The cats themselves are as appealing and intriguing set of characters as you could hope to meet, and their homes and way of life will fascinate young readers. It’s beautifully written, expertly translated and Satoshi Kitamura’s illustrations perfectly catch the comedy, melancholy and the joy.

Visit the Alma Books website for an interview with Luis Sepulveda.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Angie Hill http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Angie Hill2016-05-05 18:56:002021-07-03 17:57:09The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught her to Fly

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue Bfk 272 May 2025
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

Margaret McDonald and her editors Alice Swan and Ama Badu win the 2025 Branford Boase Award

July 9, 2025

‘The magic of poetry by heart’ Champions of the 2025 National Poetry Speaking Competition Announced

July 8, 2025
IBC

New National Year of Reading launching January 2026

July 8, 2025

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2025 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth Life is Magic
Scroll to top