Fromage had always dreamed of joining her family’s proud line of adventurous ship’s cats, following in the paw prints of her grandmother (who sailed on the Spanish Armada) and her wild Irish rover of a grandfather. But Mama Cat insisted that such rough-and-tumble, rat-catching work was no place for a young cat of learning and refinement. Refusing to let expectations hold her back, Fromage slips away to find adventure on her own. When she returns, she has an unexpected sidekick: Aloysius, a cheeky yet charming Scottish rat. Mama is appalled, but Papa Cat is more welcoming to Fromage’s new rodent friend. He recruits the dashing D’Artagnan to teach the unlikely duo the finer points of swordsmanship, using knitting needles as blades. When they embark on their next adventure to visit the Queen of France, only their bravery, wit, and growing mastery of the knitting needle will see them through to safety.
Written by Kathleen Donovan, FROMAGE is a delightful anthropomorphic adventure story for young readers. Donovan recounts the tale with verve, delivering an intelligent and exciting drama that will enthrall its target audience while offering plenty of witty asides to entertain any adult tasked with reading the book aloud. Set in Normandy around the time of William Shakespeare, whose cat makes a guest appearance, the book’s feline (and murine) heroes get an opportunity to interact with numerous human figures from history. This gives the reader the opportunity to learn about famous people of the past while following a gripping, very funny story. Likewise, Mama Cat’s frequent French vocabulary allows early-learning of a few words and phrases in an amusing setting. At the very least, readers will learn the French word for cheese.
Another key aspect of the book is the notion of equality and acceptance. Fromage’s father tells her: “My darling girl, we are an enlightened family. I have always told you that there is nothing that you cannot do. Girls are just as intelligent and brave as boys are.” This open attitude also allows the young rat to be swiftly accepted as part of the family, not to mention the positive message it sends to its readers—who will immediately be looking forward to the characters’ next adventure.
Written with style, Kathleen Donovan’s FROMAGE introduces an utterly charming new feline heroine and her rodent pal.
~ Kent Lane for IndieReader