Book Review - Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander

Synopsis:  Gareth's definitely not an ordinary cat. For one thing, he can talk.For another, he's got the power to travel through time- 'Anywhere, any time, any country, any century,' Gareth tells Jason. And in the wink of a very special cat's eye, they're off. From ancient Egypt to Japan, the land of young Leonardo da Vinci to the town of a woman accused of witchcraft, Jason and Gareth are whisked from place to place and friend to foe. Full of fun, excitement, and a good dose of history, here's a fantastic tale that grabs the imagination and takes it far and wide, on the adventure of not one but nine amazing lifetimes.

First Line:  "Gareth was a black cat with orange eyes."

Random Quote:  ""I know you're an emperor and a Celestial Presence and all that," Jason said, "but if you were anybody else, I'd say you were being selfish.  There's no reason why the kittens shouldn't help your people.  They certainly aren't doing much good locked up in the palace.  Cats aren't toys, just to be played with.""

Review:  Lloyd Alexander has always been one of my favorite authors - his Taran Wanderer series were the first chapter books that I read on my own.  I remember my mother saying that she knew reading with me was about to change when I started reading ahead in these books - we might read aloud together in the future, but more often than not I'd probably head off on my own.

Tucker - The Imperial Cat God of this blogger's house

I really like another one of his books, The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian - so much that the last cat I had with my folks before I left for college was named Sebastian.  He was an amazing and much loved cat who I still miss.

I'm not sure how I missed this one, but since I'm reading books published in my birth year and this is one of those it made the list.  Alexander obviously loved cats.  It's great how real his kitties feel to me - aloof, mildly dangerous, affectionate at times, smart, and wily.  This is a series of nine stories set in different historical times where cats made the difference.  The illustrations by Bill Sokol are whimsical and fun, the stories are great, and there's a cat.  What more could you want?

FTC Disclosure:  San Leandro Public Library

Rating:  Purple

Reading Challenges:  Birth Year Reading Challenge

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