One of our Books of the Year 2016 | September 2016 Book of the Month There was great excitement in the literary world earlier this year at the news that an unpublished Beatrix Potter story had been discovered. The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots is out now and shares many of the characteristics that have made her books favourites with generations of children: there are strong characters, in this case the impetuous Miss Kitty who escapes domesticity by going out at night poaching, in a gentleman’s Norfolk jacket and fur-lined boots; there’s tension, pace and drama in the story, plus lots of underlying humour. And there’s definite danger too, though readers are spared any bloodthirsty detail. The illustrations are provided by Quentin Blake, himself an avowed Potter fan, and he relishes the wilder moments – Miss Kitty letting fly with her air rifle, a marvellous cat fight in the drawing room – but catches the quieter moments too, including a lovely image of Miss Potter herself, surprised by a sudden revelation. A wonderful celebration of the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birth. ~ Andrea Reece
We do not have an extract of Kitty in Boots available yet but in the meantime you can read a short extract here from The Tale of Kitty in Boots, written by Beatrix Potter and published by Frederick Warne & Co at Penguin Random House Children’s.
Once upon a time there was a serious, well-behaved young black cat.
It belonged to a kind old lady who assured me that no other cat could compare with Kitty.
She lived in constant fear that Kitty might be stolen — “I hear there is a shocking fashion for black cat-skin muffs; wherever is Kitty gone to? Kitty! Kitty!” She called it “Kitty”, but Kitty called herself “Miss Catherine St. Quintin”
Cheesebox called her “Q”, and Winkiepeeps called her “Squintums”. They were very common cats. The old lady would have been shocked had she known of the acquaintance.
And she would have been painfully surprised had she ever seen Miss Kitty in a gentleman’s Norfolk jacket, and little fur-lined boots.
Now most cats love the moonlight and staying out at nights; it was curious how willingly Miss Kitty went to bed. And although the wash-house where she slept — locked in — was always very clean, upon some mornings Kitty was let out with a black chin. And on other mornings her tail seemed thicker, and she scratched.
It puzzled me. It was a long time before I guessed there were in fact two black cats!
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