Grey Cat at Sea

Lisa Arsenault is a public-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

A homeless kitten is taken to live on a fishing trawler by a sympathetic
sailor. She adapts well to her new life on board ship, but when a new
crew arrives to work the ship she has to live on land again with a woman
who had worked on the trawler. The kitten hates life on land; eventually
the woman takes her to live with her son on his small fishing boat. At
last the cat has found a congenial home again.

I have two criticisms about this generally interesting children’s
book. First, though it is written for young children, there is a
plethora of nautical and technical fishing terms. Granted, a glossary of
definitions is included—but this should not be necessary in a picture
book. Second, I found the phrase “the grey kitten did not care
about” this or that person or circumstance overused and off-putting.
If the cat does not care about the various individuals who look after it
or its various homes, it is difficult for the reader to care very much
about this exceedingly indifferent cat.