Ninja Timmy

Tamm, a concept designer in the film industry, debuts with an animal fantasy, originally published in his native Sweden. Timmy, a shy gray cat with large golden eyes, and Simon, a fairly vain mink, lead a pleasant life tinkering in a loft above a bakery—until they are attacked by a gang of bullying wild boars, who steal their latest invention, an automated orange peeler. From there, Timmy and Simon get caught up in a mission to foil the plans of an evil blue bunny (a toy maker’s magical creation gone rogue), who intends to steal the laughter of all the children in Elyzandrium. Under the guidance of Alfred the toymaker and with help from a daring female feline pilot named Flores, Timmy and his crew become do-good ninjas. Stilted, long-winded narration can make for slow reading, but Tamm’s rich full-color illustrations are more successful, filling the pages with images of dramatic action sequences, intricate-looking tools and machinery, and stealthy ninja escapades. For readers who find themselves under Timmy’s sway, the closing pages set up a sequel. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)