The Gang of the Feline Sun (Brina the Cat #1)

On a mountain vacation with her human family, city cat Brina enjoys exploring the wilderness. Then she meets a one-eyed cat, Vespucci, who persuades her that she deserves more independence. She escapes and joins Vespucci’s Gang of the Feline Sun, a group of freedom-loving cats. Reveling in her new life of chasing small prey and playing tricks on the locals, “Brina’s mind is like a clear blue sky,” even as her human family searches frantically for her. Soon, though, Brina realizes that she may have traded one kind of cage for another. In brightly hued scenes, Cornia (When Unicorns Poop) uses parallel color palettes to visually define both feline and human viewpoints. An occasional narrator’s remarks distract more than they enhance, but with dual story lines, Italian author Salati (Disney Hamlet, Starring Donald Duck) tells an endearing tale that explores the meaning of freedom and familial bonds. Ages 8–12. [em](Jan.) [/em]