Genre
Picture books for children
Tone
Amusing
Quiet
Illustration
Muted
Theme
Coping with death
Subject
Animal ghosts
Boys
Cat ghosts
Children and cats
Death of pets
Ghosts
Grief
Letting go (Psychology)
Loss
Pets

The boy knows there’s a ghost in his house, and he’s pretty sure it’s a cat–just like the cat he used to have. One day, he follows a trail of catly chaos through the house, all the way to the front door, where he finally sees the ghost cat properly . . . only for it to lead him straight to a tiny kitten in need of a home.

Ghost Cat is a really cute little story. The premise is simple, but cute, especially the sweet ending with the boy, the ghost cat, and the kitten all curled up happily together. Adorable! It’s pretty clear that the author knows cats, considering how on the nose some of the ghost cat’s behaviors are, so that’s pretty amusing. The art is cute, too. And the text is simple enough to be easy for younger children to follow along with–or for beginning readers to pick up pretty easily. I read this one with my nieces (ages 2 and 6) and found the reading level to be well suited for both of them. ( )

Old cat is gone; a new cat waits.
I love the way the ghost cat is drawn ( )

A little boy whose cat has died claims to hear a ghost cat moving around his home. When he finally sees the ghost cat, he follows it outside and finds a kitten on his doorstep. Sweet and a little bit creepy, Ghost Cat explores grief and may help young readers to heal from the death of a pet. ( )