Katinka was a "lovely, perfectly ordinary pussycat." At least, that's what her human lady thought. The two spent their days happily together, but it wasn't until she woke late one night and went looking for Katinka that the little old lady discovered just how extraordinary her feline friend was. For this cat's tail, already a different color fur than the rest of her body, had some magical qualities...

One of Britain's most celebrated children's authors, Judith Kerr, the creator of the Mog the Forgetful Cat picture-books, as well the author of the autobiographical novel, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, delivers an entertaining new tale with Katinka's Tail. There are some surreal qualities here, as is to be expected from Kerr, who often manages to subvert the reader's expectation of a "sweet" story. I loved the artwork, which captures Katinka's feline charms quite well, and enjoyed the use of shiny metallic ink, in the scenes in which our eponymous feline performs her magic. Recommended to young cat lovers, and to fellow Judith Kerr admirers... ( )