Life has not gone well for Kitty. She’s lost her family and now lives in a rescue facility next to an obnoxious rabbit named Bunny Von Hopper. Hope arrives when Max and his mother visit the shelter.
Max is still distraught and blames himself for the death of his cat named Licorice. He decides Kitty might make a good replacement. They soon take Kitty to their home on 5 Manderly Lane and it’s a scary place for her.
There are other animals there like Fred the Turtle, Cookie the Hamster, and a bossy parrot named Duchess. They all take some getting used to. What’s worse though is the constant smell of that other cat named Licorice. This doesn’t feel like home for Kitty.
Max has friends too in Josh and Bella who constantly bring up the fact that Kitty is nothing like Licorice who they both liked. Kitty tries her hardest to fit in and be Max’s little pal so she doesn’t get sent back to the shelter.
The story is an endearing and touching look at felines that cat lovers will especially enjoy. If you are not a fan of cats I’d still give this one a go since the story of belonging is so well written. The tale is also a retelling of Daphne du Maurice’s classic REBECCA.
With a memorable narration by Kitty, LICORICE is one you will want on your bookshelf.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: October 20, 20026. PAGES: 224
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: LICORICE by Kara LaReau
- Max’s mother adds a little humor with her obsession about streaks of good and bad luck and astrological signs.
- Black and white drawings like the one below with Kitty staring at a mantle picture of Max and Licorice, provides the perfect accompaniment to the plot.
- Suspenseful but not scary for the middle grade aged reader.
- The 19 chapters move forward with a nice pace. A good one for a read aloud.
- I like when there is a surprising twist at the end of a story and this one has a great one.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kara LaReau worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and Scholastic Press, where she edited celebrated titles such as Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie (winner of a Newbery Honor), The Tiger Rising (finalist for the National Book Award), The Tale of Despereaux (winner of the Newbery Medal), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (winner of the Boston Globe Horn Book Award), and the Mercy Watson series. She’s the author of the award-winning chapter book series The Infamous Ratsos, illustrated by Matt Myers; middle-grade trilogies The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, illustrated by Jen Hill, and the ZomBert Chronicles, illustrated by Ryan Andrews; the chapter book series WITCHYCAKES, illustrated by Ariane Moreira; and many picture books. Kara lives in Providence with her husband and daughter and their cats.
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