Every night, I try to read to Ian for a few minutes before he goes to bed. It’s hard finding a book that I find interesting, yet will keep his attention. One thing I’ve found is the language has to be simple enough that I won’t stumble on it while reading aloud- Aesop’s Fables and King Arthur are nice, but I find myself constantly stumbling on pronunciations and awkward sentences. Fortunately I found Varjak Paw by S.F. Said to be easy to read and engaging for both of us.
The book centers around a young cat named Varjak Paw, a purebred Mesopotamian Blue. He lives with his family in the Contessa’s house, never venturing outside of the house or walled garden. Their life is suddenly turned upside down, and Varjak is forced to leave his family for the Outside, where he must find a dog to save his way of life.
Through his travels, he is visited by his ancestor Jalal, who teaches him The Way, a form of martial arts for cats. While he’s out learning about the world, he meets two street cats, Holly and Tam, who help him adjust to life out on the city streets.
While he’s out on his own, he finds out that many cats are disappearing off the street without a trace- these “Vanishings” are happening constantly, and before long Varjak’s new friend Tam disappears as well.
The book has a satisfying ending, however it left a few loose ends that could be used to tie into a second book – which a quick google search shows is already out (The Outlaw Varjak Paw). Awesome.
Overall this was a great book to read aloud to children, since many of the characters have distinctive voices. I especially liked Cludge the dog, who’s dialog was written as that of a dopey caveman. It’s also worth noting that the chapters are relatively small, so you can read one or two a night.
I’d definitely recommend Varjak Paw to any parent who wants to read to their child. With an easy to follow dialog and memorable characters, this is an easy story that can be shared with any child. If anyone is looking for something that will last longer than your average Dr. Seuss book to read to the little ones at night, then Varjak Paw is a good choice.
Read Order:
Varjak Paw
The Outlaw Varjak Paw
The Master and Overlord or better known as the hubby who keeps LE running. He rarely reviews, but he's the one who keeps everything running smoothly from the IT perspective.
I just love animal based stories. You’ve had some great reviews. Thanks for making the TBR pile grow!