Thomasina

“I was aware, from the very beginning, that I was a most unusual cat…” Thomasina is the beloved pet cat of 7-year-old Mary Ruadh, whose strict father is the town's vet. When Thomasina falls ill, her father sees no other option but to put the cat down. Heartbroken by his cruelty, Mary stops speaking to her father and falls dangerously ill herself. Meanwhile, Thomasina is rescued by Lori, a young woman who lives alone in an isolated glen and is rumoured to be a witch with healing powers.

While Lori helps Thomasina recover from her ordeal, Mary's health continues to deteriorate and it is only when Thomasina makes her miraculous return, on a dark and stormy night, and is reunited with her owner that Mary is pulled from the brink of death.

About the Author

Paul Gallico (1897–1976) was born in New York City and studied at Columbia University. After serving in the First World War he became a journalist with the New York Daily News where he enjoyed particular acclaim for his sports writing. In 1936 Paul Gallico moved to Salcombe in South Devon where he became a full time writer, living in a house on a hill with his Great Dane and twenty-three cats. He became a notable war correspondent during the Second World War.

Among Paul Gallico’s best known books are The Snow Goose (1941) , a classic story of Dunkirk, and The Poseidon Adventure (1969), which was made into a very successful film. His magical stories about animals, particularly cats, are enduring favourites. These include Jennie (1950) and Thomasina (1957).