The Improbable Cat

This offering from Allan Ahlberg follows an ordinary family over a period of a few weeks after they take in an apparently injured kitten. The narrator is 12-year-old David, who watches in horror as the new addition to his family seems to hold his parents and younger sister in thrall. Their sole purpose seems to be providing the growing cat with food and drink while they sink into increasingly erratic behaviour, the parents starting to smoke and drink and the little girl no longer wanting to play with her friends. They all appear to be afraid of what is happening but unable to break free of the cat's hold on them. As David becomes increasingly concerned about his parents and sister the cat grows in size and menace. But David eventually discovers the secret of the creature's power and with the help of his friend George and a number of dogs he confronts it in an exciting showdown. This is a short but exciting book which will be enjoyed by children from a wide age range, including older ones whose reading skills need reinforcement. There is a tangible sense of oppression as the cat's power over the family increases and the illustrations from Peter Bailey add to the increasing feeling of gloom and danger. Ahlberg has avoided the mistake of tying up all the loose ends, ably demonstrating how horror stories can be menacing but also well written and engaging. A top-quality children's novel. Ages 7-10 (Kirkus UK)