Quick Takes
- Readability – Agent B (6 years old) could read most of it
- Reading time – 5-7 minutes
- Adventure Boyz Rating – 8/10
- Perfect for – a whimsical bedtime story (and for those who like cats!)
What Makes It A Favourite?
Tabby McTat is an all-time favourite in our household that we’ve read over ten times – more so since we’ve gotten a cat of our own (named Kit Cat). Tabby McTat is a hardy busker’s (Fred) cat whose life takes a turn when his owner is hospitalised, leaving McTat to fend for himself. McTat ends up finding a partner and living a very different, very domesticated life. He loves his new life and new family, but can’t help but wonder where his owner has gone (and the life he once lead).
And often he said, “What’s happened to Fred?”
And his paws took him back to the square.
But a conjuror stood where the pair once sat,
And he pulled out this…
And he pulled out that…
And people threw coins in the tall black hat,
But he busker was never there.
Dad’s View
This phonetically fun book to read. Like all great kids books, on one hand it is a simple story about a cat living a rather romanticised life as a busker, who then becomes accustomed to more ‘boring’ life as living a a house with a cat and human family of his own. Sound familiar?
There’s a part in this tale where McTat makes the hard decision to temporarily leave his family to find Fred. That had a bit of feels. I guess we are all like McTat?
The Kids’ Take
Agent C likes the storyline of McTat’s life, which starts off as a busker’s cat, getting ‘married’ and then parenthood. He also likes the reference to Fred eating bacon and bread, which sparked a semi-regular breakfast for the kids of, well, bacon and bread!
Agent B is likes that it is about a cat (I know, I know, it’s because we have a beloved cat of our own), and that it tells a story about a father and his son.
Buy or Borrow It?
We’ve bought this one! It is having a second (and third) wind in our household since the arrival of our own cat!