Sir Thomas A. Cat

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian who has recently relocated to
North Wales, Pennsylvania.

Sir Thomas A. Cat knows that the time has come for him to sail away to
the moon; after all, he has been here on earth for 17 years and his
Queen awaits his return. Even so, it is difficult to say goodbye to his
owners, the Prince and Princess. They are crying and remembering all the
happy times they had growing up with Thomas. Also, Thomas does not trust
the lady in the white lab coat with the needle. With love and tenderness
and fond memories of Thomas’s life, his owners say goodbye and the owl
in the pea-green boat arrives to ferry Thomas to his Queen.

The fantasy realm of the owl and the pussycat surrounds the real world
of aging and loss, and softens the sadness of death with a picture of
ethereal life. The gentle watercolor illustrations are an ideal
complement to the subject. The pictures of the cat capture precisely the
different qualities of his personality as he ages.

The narrative shifts from Thomas’s fantasy world, to the present
moment, to the memories of Thomas’s life. Although this structure
poses no problem for the adult reader, some children may be confused by
the plot because the death of the pet is implied by the allusion to the
fantasy. Also, for most children a needle brings medicine, not lethal
injection. This beautiful book about pet loss would be best appreciated
by older children or by young children with an adult’s guidance.
Recommended with reservations.