Ginger by Charlotte Voake

Ginger by Charlotte Voake
Buy Ginger by Charlotte Voake at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: Ginger is not happy about the arrival of the kitten and he leaves home. This timeless classic deals gently with the arrival of another member of the family and leaves everyone convinced that there are better times ahead. Highly recommended.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 40	Date: April 2008
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 978-1406312690
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Ginger was a very lucky cat as he lived with a little girl who made him lovely meals and gave him a beautiful basket to sleep in. Every thing seemed to be perfect until one day his peace was disturbed by the arrival of a kitten. It wasn't just any kitten either. The kitten followed Ginger wherever he went, jumped on him from behind doors and ate his food. But what upset Ginger most of all was that when Ginger climbed into his beautiful basket, the kitten climbed in too…

It was too much. What's a cat to do but leave home? Out he went through the cat flap and he didn't come back. The kitten got into Ginger's basket but

It wasn't the same without Ginger.

Then the kitten started being really naughty. Instead of jumping on Ginger he used one of the best chairs to sharpen his claws and when the little girl came back she was cross. But where was Ginger? Finally she found him in the garden

a very wet, sad, cold Ginger hiding under a bush.

The little girl is a sensible little girl and she realised that Ginger needed to feel special again. He needed to have his own space and not to have to share everything with the kitten. But despite all that the sensible little girl does Ginger proves that there's more than a little bit of kitten in him when Charlotte Voake delivers a twist that left me howling with laughter.

The illustrations are deceptively simple but they capture Ginger perfectly. He's a big marmalade-coloured cat, used to being the centre of attention, the 'only cat' in the house. He's likes the little girl giving him all her attention and you can see the shock on his face when the kitten arrives. The kitten might look tiny and rather nondescript but every line of his body says 'trouble'. The antics of the animals are captured perfectly.

It's a welcome reissue of a timeless classic that's going to be read time after time. Any older sibling who's not comfortable with the arrival of a younger brother or sister will understand the gentle message that there are better times ahead – and everyone will enjoy the excellent story. It's a joy to read aloud and although the illustrations might look very simple there's plenty to discuss on every page.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

For children who are experiencing the arrival of a baby in the home we can recommend The Baby (But I'd Have Liked a Hamster) by India Knight and Jessica Meserve and Ssssh! Duck Don't Wake the Baby by Jez Alborough. For more about cats you're sure to love Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Ginger by Charlotte Voake at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Ginger by Charlotte Voake at Amazon.com.

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