Graphic Novel Review – A Cat Story by Ursula Murray Husted (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fiction
Length: 192 pages
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: October 6, 2020
ISBN-13 : 978-0062932044
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Christmas Gift
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“Cilla and Betto are two friends who need a place to call home. The docks in Valletta are too wet, and the scraps of food too scarce. The city’s streets are too busy, and the humans too unreliable.
But what about the quiet garden from old kitten tales—a place where all cats are welcome, and the humans are always kind? Could the stories really be true?

As Cilla and Betto embark on a grand adventure to find out, they begin to spin a tale of their own—one that will take them through the art and stories of many journeyers who came before, and that will bring them to a surprising destination.”

Series Info/Source: This book was a Christmas gift to my son from his grandparents (and I stole it to read!!). It is a stand alone book.

Story (5/5): This is the story of two cat friends Cilla and Betto. Cilla is constantly being rejected from forever homes and wants to find the mythical garden of safety and food that supposedly exists. The two go on an epic cat journey to find this garden. This is well done and I enjoyed the way the story was presented. I loved their adventures on the Malta isles and enjoyed all the kitten tales and people/animals they met along the way.

Characters (5/5): I really felt for Cilla, she’s such a young and hopeful cat. I loved Betto’s dedication to his friend as well. The two meet a whole cast of interesting quirky characters along the way and they are all well done.

Setting (4/5): Having this take place in the State of Malta was interesting. It’s a unique setting that I didn’t know much about. The whole thing has a lot of history and a very Mediterranean feel to it.

Writing/Drawing Style (4/5): I loved the story here and how there were pages of fine art that the cats kind of journeyed through as stories were told. There are a lot of stories within stories, which I always enjoy. This graphic novel is creatively put together and nicely designed. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the overall drawing style. At times the cats and their surroundings look a bit scribbled or unfinished.

My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I enjoyed this. This is a fun and heartfelt tale of two cat friends going on a journey to realize one cat’s dream. The unique setting and stories told within the story were well done. The drawing style wasn’t my favorite, it felt both too busy and a bit unfinished to me, but it was easy enough to follow. I would recommend this to cat lovers who enjoy the idea of cats adventuring through an exotic setting.