Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings: A Catwings Tale

Love this so much.

This is the 3rd installment in noted author Ursula K. LeGuin's excellent Catwings series. It is as good as the others. The Catwings stories are the adventures of 5 young winged cats that were born to a normal alley cat in a gritty, realistic city. They find their way to an old barn in the country and 2 kind children who look after them, and keep their secret . Alexander is a normal cat who is sure he is destined to do something wonderful. As a kitten, he goes exploring, gets lost, and finds his way to the Catwings and their humans. There he finds friendship, a home, and does indeed something wonderful by helping the youngest Catwing, Jane. A bad experience while a kitten caused her to lose the ability to speak, she can only say 'me' and 'hate'. Alexander helps her overcome her trauma and speak again. This book would be perhaps useful for children with a trauma in their lives. These slender little books with great illustrations can be read by adults, and do not talk down to children. They are warm, and firmly rooted in our world, but have the feel of a magical fairy tale with the winged cats and talking animals. They leave you wanting more. LeGuin is a well known science fiction and fantasy author, who hopefully will write more young children's stories of this caliber.

The Catwings books are little treasures. Ursula LeGuin's skilled, poignant, humorous writings and her sensitive insights on genuine, deep emotions combine to entertain, create suspense, and tug at the reader's heartstrings all at the same time. S.D. Schindler's beautiful pen-and-ink illustrations capture the delightful personalities of the cats without becoming cartoons. He makes us believe that cats with wings are entirely possible and real. This amazing illustrator should have received more recognition over the years, for he is a master. The Catwings books are not only for children. Adults who love cats and who can believe that all things are possible will revere these wonderful stories, as well.

The Catwings books are great, so they make fantastic gifts. My 8YO godson agrees!

This is the first in the catwings series my 4-year old and I have read together. We plan to read the 4-volume set! The plot and characters are highly imaginative; and LeGuin's keen observations of animal behavior bring the story to life. The detailed, realistic drawings that appear on nearly every page are beautiful and enjoyable, and keep my pre-school daughter's interest in the story, even though she may not grasp some of the more complex prose. LeGuin does not spare the reader realism--this is not a candy-coated story--but I believe even very young children appreciate honest portrayals of life's challenges. My daughter asks that I tell her the catwings story after lights out--we have even made up our own chapters.

I read "Catwings" to my kids and we loved it! And this one is even better. It has the true magical quality that makes a memorable, classic, children's book.