The Wild Cats of Piran: Chronicle One

Gr 3–5—The feral cats of Piran are magical. When enemies approach, and there are many, they can make use of their powers of enchantment, known as Magikat, to escape them. Several story threads wind through this first in a series. The queen of the cats, Felecia, is the leader of the feral cat colony. She is a beautiful black cat whose long, ancient history brought her to the pretty seaside town of Piran, Slovenia, the story's setting. Her cohorts are Dragan, a warrior cat, and two cats in love, Beyza and Magyar. In one of the main story threads, Beyza, a sweet female Angora, gets kidnapped by a cruel boy and his German shepherd dog. A second plot involves an army of huge, vicious rats whose goal is to kill all of the cats in Piran. Also present in the story are ghosts from ancient times who are part of the ambience of Piran. Though the voice of the narrator at times interrupts the action taking place, the story has many engaging elements and will be a welcome addition to those who enjoy animal fantasy. It can be recommended to readers who love Ursula Le Guin's Catwings (Scholastic, 1988) and are still too young for Erin Hunter's "Warriors" series (HarperCollins). The colorful, cartoonlike illustrations are lovely and enhance the story. The unique and interesting setting of Piran and the surrounding area could be researched as part of a lesson plan that incorporates history and geography.—Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL