  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/15/2011 The 1838 real-life rescue of shipwrecked passengers by a lighthouse keeper and his daughter is the backdrop for Brown’s story of a mother cat’s courageous rescue of her kitten. Though storming outside, Gracie and her kitten are snug in their lighthouse home. But hearing noises, the curious kitten goes to investigate and is inadvertently swept outdoors. Distraught Gracie is determined to find him, searching everywhere, even braving the elements; and just when things seem hopeless comes happy discovery and reunion. The descriptive narrative incorporates dramatic and suspenseful elements. Meanwhile, realistic illustrations, with some abstract touches, depict the turbulent seascapes and the warm, detailed lighthouse interior. The cats are always the focus, while the human rescue is conveyed in visuals only—the shipwreck distantly visible through the lighthouse window, people climbing stone steps to shelter, etc. A brief introduction and closing note provide some background on Grace Darling, the lighthouse-keeper’s daughter, and the shipwreck off of England’s Farne Islands. Readers will find both heroic rescues inspiring. - Copyright 2011 Booklist. School Library Journal - 02/01/2011 K-Gr 2—Gracie, a cat whose home is in a lighthouse, relaxes alongside her little kitten while in the background Grace, the lighthouse keeper's daughter, spots a ship in trouble on the rocks. The two stories about bravery during a raging storm in 1838 unfold simultaneously. Gracie's story is described in the text, while the human drama is portrayed primarily in the artwork. Attractive, painterly renditions of the treacherous sea as well as the emotional features on the faces of the animals will draw children into the suspenseful tale. Sentences are short and function ostensibly to move the action along. It is the artwork that adds additional meaning to the event. Endpapers introduce the historical setting and conclude with an afterword. Cat lovers will remember this event after the first reading and will be able to retell the story just by following the pictures.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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