A young kitten finds himself abandoned in the cold and snowy woods in this sweet Christmas story from author Robin Pulver and illustrator Layne Johnson. Putting the stalking skills he has learned from his mother to good use, he does his best to survive, but longs for the warmth of his old home. When he sees a group of people in the woods, chopping down a tree, he hitches a ride in their car, and sneaks into their home. Chased under the sofa by the family dog, the kitten hides, until a jolly nighttime visitor discovers him, and decides to give him a home...

There's something about cats at Christmas that really speaks to me, whether they're participating in the Nativity, as in Robert Westall's The Witness or Michael Foreman's Cat in the Manger; being driven to distraction by all the fuss, as in Judith Kerr's Mog's Christmas or Matthew Sturgis' Tosca's Christmas; or finding a home, as here in Christmas for a Kitten, or in Efner Tudor Holmes' The Christmas Cat. Perhaps my love of cats, and desire for their well-being, when taken together with my beliefs about the meaning of Christmas, and the importance of kindness and generosity during this season, produce an irresistible combination? In any case, although there was never much doubt in my mind that the kitten here would find a home, I was surprised to discover with whom he would be living! Yay for Santa having a cat! - a theme also explored in Sue Stainton's Santa's Snow Cat and Santa's Snow Kitten. The beautiful artwork, done in oil, captures the dark feeling in the beginning of the story, as the kitten must find his way through the wintry world, as well as the joy-filled feeling at the end, as the kitten is borne off by Santa.

All in all, this was a heartwarming Christmas tale, one I would recommend especially to young animal and cat lovers at the holidays! ( )

A kitten is pulled from its mother and dumped on the side of the road. All seems lost as the kitten fends for itself, until it sneaks into a home. This home has a dog, but someone visiting has a solution- Santa takes the kitten on a sleigh ride to his new home- with Santa! ( )