Toby the Flying Cat by Yvonne Belshaw

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place to be when bookish is not just a word, but an attitude.  ^_'

Today, we're taking it easy as you should be too, it is Saturday after all.  We're heading to the land of the ebook with a Children's title that's both a storybook AND a picture book all in one, extending the audience to the wee little ones as well as those old enough to truly enjoy the story content.  Cat fan?  You're in luck!  It stars a mighty cute kitty cat that has a very special talent too.  Ready to meet him?  Here we go!  Today's ebook of choice is...

Toby the Flying Cat

by

Yvonne Belshaw

Illustrated by

Tamia Sheldon

An adopted cat has a very special secret. No one believes Toby's owner when she says he can fly, but when a little kitty is in trouble, will Toby save the day?

Okay, well any book that starts out with a character named Maryrose (nice name!) that lives in a nice, excuse me VERY nice house in a neighborhood like that and loves books, is on the right track for me.  (^_^)

Maryrose wakes up one morning determined to solve her loneliness with the addition of a feline friend. Her first stop, her local animal shelter.  Bonus points to the author for including this in their story; every furry friend deserves a chance at a forever home whether it is their first or last.  I definitely felt for her when selecting her new bestie.  Have you ever been to a shelter?  It's SO HARD to just pick one.  Luckily for her as with most "new fur baby mom's to be", a little gray cat made his presence known.  A few papers later and a trip to the store for supplies and Maryrose was no longer a lonely lady, for she had a friend.

Ah, but as so often seen after a time, her new friend was more than he seemed...not in a bad way mind you, but in an unusual way.  Toby could fly, or so it seemed.  I mean, have YOU ever seen an elephant...I mean a cat, fly?  Me neither, but Maryrose felt certain about what she saw.  When the time comes to show his true colors, Toby doesn't hesitate for a moment proving that the size of the heart doesn't matter when a "hero" is needed, but what's done with that heart is what really counts.

My only less-than-positive mention comes in with the illustrations.  While I loved the inanimate objects representation as the lines were clean, and the color palette appealing, and even the feline friends were adorable, the human elements needed a bit of refining for my taste, even in the abstract.  Perhaps even a slightly shut eye effect, such as that  used with her neighbor at the Cat Society meeting, would assist in making her appear less doll-like with eyes that never blink.

Overall, a read I can certainly see little ones getting behind with its feline hero while older readers will appreciate the lesson in second chances (the shelter) and open minds.  Will your cat start flying around your house any time soon?  Perhaps not...but that doesn't mean in your eyes he/she is anything less than a SUPERSTAR.

Ebook for review courtesy of Calee at Xist Publishing.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their growing catalog, be sure to check out their official site, friend them on Google+, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  This ebook is available now so be on the look out for it at on online retailer near you.  Need a few pointers?  No problem...you can purchase directly from the publisher's site, or stop by Amazon or iBooks.

Until next time...happy reading!