Review: The Taming of the Cat

*Written and illustrated by Helen Cooper*
*Published by Faber Children’s Books*

The Taming of the Cat is a truly magical, heart-warming story within a story that completely mesmerised me as I was drawn into both stories and captivated by the many stunning illustrations.

Brie is not like other mice: he doesn’t like cheese and prefers to use the labels to inspire his stories rather than tell jokes and play games. Ostracised by the other mice in his colony, he is left with no friends when the swallows, who he shares his tales with, migrate. The cruelty of the other mice sees him seeking shelter from the cold in a dangerous place – at the side of the fridge. Why so dangerous? Well, there’s Gorgonzola, the cat who likes nothing better than playing with his food before eating it – and his favourite food is – mice! Brie wakes from his exhausted sleep only to find himself trapped in Gorgonzola’s paws.

When Brie, desperate to save himself, shares that he is a storyteller, the bored Gorgonzola asks for one in return for not eating him – yet! And so, the young mouse shares an enchanting, exciting fairytale, a tale with a courageous princess, a terrible curse, a dragon and a cat called Silk that can grow to the size of a panther. But is it a story that will be exciting enough to capture Gorgonzola’s attention, and even stop his intention to devour Brie?

I absolutely loved this mesmerising story, weaving beautifully between Brie’s fairytale and his own tale of survival. I love how Brie’s story becomes a shared experience between captive and captor with Gorgonzola becoming caught up in the magic of the storytelling, eager to find out more and share his thoughts. I really enjoyed the slowly emerging friendship between mouse and cat, but will it be enough to save Brie from his fate? Or could the danger come from elsewhere?

Brie is absolutely adorable, and my heart went out to him as he is rejected by his colony for being different, with only a pretence of acceptance when they can use him to get something they want. He is trapped in a place that does not feel like home, but is determined to be himself, to continue to create magical stories, and to share these even when this means facing his greatest fear. I also really liked Gorgonzola who fights against his natural instincts in order to enjoy the magic of a great story, but can two natural enemies ever become friends?

This is a gorgeous hardback edition with a stunning cover with silver foiling. The many internal full-and-partial-page illustrations, together with illustrated chapter headings, are simply stunning and capture the magical quality of this special book perfectly. This would be a wonderful and, I have no doubt, treasured Christmas gift for younger readers.