The Smallest Kitten

Holly Webb's The Smallest Kitten is a gentle story for 7 year olds about twin sisters, a new home and a tiny black-and-white kitten.

What happens

Zara and Amina are twins, but they're nothing alike. Amina twirls up the steps of the animal shelter. Zara holds Dad's hand and keeps all her excitement tucked away inside. When the kittens come out to play, the two tabbies head straight for Amina. The smallest one, a little black-and-white girl, creeps out last and pounces on Zara's shoelace.

Of course that's the kitten they take home! They call her Pixie, after a small argument (Amina wanted Cola). Pixie hides behind the wellies and under the vegetable trolley, and Amina says she's just like Zara. Zara isn't sure she likes that very much.

Some parts are told by Pixie. She misses her brother and sister, and she jumps a mile when the doorbell rings. It's lovely for young readers to see the new house through her eyes.

Then the twins start Year Five, in a school where everyone else has known each other for years. Amina makes friends with half the class in a morning. Zara finds it much harder. Until a girl called Billie shows her a keyring photo of an enormous ginger cat called Biscuit, and Zara forgets to be shy.

The birthday party is where things get tricky. Amina has planned it all, and Billie isn't on her list. For once, Zara says no.

This one really gets the feeling of being the quiet twin, or the quiet one of any pair. If your reader has ever been talked over by a louder brother or sister, Zara will feel like a friend. And there's plenty of kitten cuteness to go round too (tummy up, fast asleep, with a breathy little purr).

It's warm and very gentle, with worries that are small and real rather than scary. A lovely pick for animal lovers who are just getting into chapter books.

What to read next

If they're after more kittens, try The Midnight Visitor, the first Museum Kittens book. Tasha is a scruffy tabby kitten living in a grand old museum, and her spotless white sister Bianca won't stop telling her to wash.