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Narrative storytelling and colored-pencil illustrations bring the adventure of a missing cat to life for elementary school-aged readers.

Synopsis

When a door is left open Shadow the cat gets his chance to chase a real live bird, which leads him on an unexpected adventure. Follow along as he wonders how he will make it back to his family. This is based on the true story of our lovable scrappy cat that went missing for two years when we moved from Fremont to Granite Bay in Northern California.

Shadow the cat loves watching birds outside the window of his house, and he dreams of catching one one day. Living with his family in the city, however, makes this difficult since he is inside all day. One day, Shadow begins to notice his family putting things into boxes and, while it is fun to play with the boxes and wrapping supplies, Shadow is less excited when he notices his own things being packed away. It turns out that everything is being packed up to move the family to a house in the country with ample room for Shadow to play. When he accidentally leaves his new house through an open door, Shadow spots a bird and chases it far from his new home. He eventually loses track of the bird, realizes he is lost, and must do his best to find his way back to his family.

Anyone who has ever lost a pet will appreciate the emotions Shadow feels being separated from his family. Colored pencil illustrations form the visual component of this story, adding emotional depth to the text. Lines of pencil give the images texture within the confines of a two-dimensional page. The humans in Shadow’s life are all white, ranging in age from children to middle-aged adults. Each two-page spread features an image on one side and a block of text on the other, allowing readers the opportunity to experience both separately.

The quantity of text makes this story best suited to elementary school-aged children with longer attention spans. Narrative is the primary storytelling method in this book, but dialogue is peppered in for some variety, as well. Through this focus on descriptive language, readers get a clearer sense of Shadow’s moods even though cats cannot talk in real life.

Readers with an affinity for cats will empathize with Shadow’s story and will find similarities between his adventure and that of the animals in Homeward Bound. Through a fortunate turn of events, Shadow teaches readers the importance of perseverance when attempting to find their way home.

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I review books for kids, tweens, and teens and blog about them on my website. To date, I have over 500 published reviews. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.maryrlanni.com to get recommendations straight to your inbox! I primarily write reviews, but will create video reviews upon request.

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