The Sign of the Cat

Gr 4–6—Duncan has secrets—the ones his mother makes him keep include purposefully getting answers wrong on tests to keep his grades down and never taking his cap off in public. Then there's the one he guards even from his mother—Duncan knows how to speak cat. On the day he goes against his mother's wishes and gets a perfect score on the national exams and doffs his hat to a national hero, Duncan finds himself kidnapped and sailing to the edge of his island kingdom. With the help of a stowaway kitten, Duncan discovers that national heroes can be traitors and his mother's secrets were protecting his true identity. Now it's up to Duncan to save a presumed-dead princess and their kingdom. Astute readers will figure things out before Duncan does but will read on to discover how he survives against dastardly villains. Duncan's ability to talk to cats helps him gain vital information but also provides humorous insight into the inner lives of felines—kittens need to take examinations to get their explorer's license and cats have a numbered list of tricks, including Cat Trick #8: Bringing Disgusting Gifts.