Bookverdict.com

Gr 4-7 When danger, in the form of a strange man and his two deadly feline companions, intrudes upon the sheltered existence of a family of Mesopotamian Blue cats, Varjak must venture Outside for the first time to seek help. He meets a feral cat named Holly, who takes him to the city and helps him survive on the mean streets. His nights are filled with dreams of his fabled ancestor Jalal, who teaches him the Seven Skills of the Way of Jalal; they help him, in his waking hours,...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

There are Seven Skills in the Way of Jalal (the martial art-like practice at the heart of this cat fantasy), but Varjak's grandfather, the Elder Paw, had only three to pass on, and of those, only the names: Slow-Time, Moving Circles, Shadow-Walking. As Varjak, a purebred Mesopotamian Blue, struggles to survive among the cat street gangs and searches for a dog to take on the ominous Gentleman who invaded Varjak's former home, he's also threatened by the Vanishings: cats, sometimes frie...Log In or Sign Up to Read More