children's fiction. Clever animal story that will entertain whole family (not just the kids who will sit through ANY animal story, regardless of how uninteresting it is). There is a (pretty intense) cat fight at the end (Skilley protecting his friends from the bad cat, Pinch) but I guess this would still be rated G by Disney standards. ( )

Fantasy / Science Fiction Assignment

“He was the best of toms. He was the worst of toms.” So begins this “Dickens of a Tale” that not only draws inspiration from Charles Dickens’ works, but also features him as a character in the book. The main storyline, however, revolves around Skilley, the cheese loving, street-smart cat who weasels his way into the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese inn, and Pip, one among the thousands of mice who already live there. Pip is an unusually talented mouse, and Skilley’s secret desire for cheese makes him no ordinary cat. After a mutually beneficial alliance is arranged, Skilley and Pip become friends and all goes well until the appearance of Pinch, a malicious alley cat eager to turn the inn’s mice into cat food. Throw in a mysterious presence in the attic, Mr. Dickens’ notes, and a bold plan to save the British Empire. Add Barry Moser’s incredibly expressive illustrations and the literary allusions to Charles Dickens’ works, most of which will go right over the heads of young readers who probably haven’t read any Dickens yet. No matter, The Cheshire Cheese Cat serves up a fun introduction. This is a great read with a lot of heart and an impressive vocabulary to boot (accompanied by a glossary). Highly recommended for everyone! ( )

Skilley is a bright cat but not an ambitious one. Hoping for a life of ease at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn, his plans are thwarted when a clever little mouse discovers two secrets about Skilley. Can a mouse and a cat work together for the good of them both? Maybe, but then something happens that neither had foreseen: a new arrival at the inn. Katherine Kellgren's delightful performance in narrating this audio book just adds to its pleasure. A great book for the younger set, but adults will enjoy it, too. ( )

What a fascinating tale the authors of this delighful book weave! Skilley, a cat, forms a friendship with Pip, a mouse at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese inn. Skilley promises not to eat the mice if they bring him some of the inn's wonderful cheese. He also learns of Maldwyn, a raven from the Tower of London, being held in the inn's garret. Their safety is threatened when the kitchen maid brings in Skilley's arch-nemesis Pinch, a ginger cat, to try to control the mouse population. The inn frequently houses Charles Dickens and other authors. The book is interspersed with pages from Dickens' notebook. The authors often use creative font arrangements to make a point. This book is certain to entertain upper elementary readers, even if they don't know Dickens. Barry Moser's illustrations are also well done. ( )