Note: Wherever possible, the title link to each book leads to Archive.org, from which you can borrow the book for free, or to an extended review here on GreenSense. Otherwise, it will take you to one of our affiliates, from whom you can purchase the book. A purchase made through an Amazon link will earn us a commission. We also partner with BookShop.org and IndieBound, two organizations dedicated to supporting local, independent bookstores.

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A Year With Molly and Emmett - - by Marylin Hafner Candlewick Press, 1997. Molly and her big orange cat Emmett enjoy the seasons of the year in this cheery cartoon style book. Marylin Hafner created this comic series for beginning readers for Ladybug magazine. Each page brims with life and humour as Molly and her very large orange tabby, Emmett go through the adventures of ordinary life together. The seasons flow by with a pleasant rythm as Molly and Emmett go to the zoo in spring, camping in summer, buy school supplies in fall and celebrate the multicultural holidays in winter. Molly is an energetic and engaging heroine; loving and full of adventure. She is a great role model for girls and boys alike. The comic strip format is great for new readers. The text is completely integrated with the pictures and kids relate to it in a whole new way. They really want to know what is being said in each frame in order to relate to the action of the story. Pre-readers will love this cheery, warm book as well. Buy it from Amazon.

Cross Country Cat - - by Mary Calhoun; illustrated by Erick Ingraham Mulberry Books, 1979. A clever siamese cat learns to ski in order to find his family again. We discovered Mary Calhoun's wonderful Henry series quite by chance, but we can't seem to get him out of our heads around here. Aaron has had a whole series of fantasy adventures revolving around this smart and resourceful siamese cat. All the Henry books are delightful, but Cross Country Cat has remained a favorite. You see, among his many remarkable qualities, Henry the cat can walk upright on his hind legs. This gets him into some interesting situations, but it gives his owner, a little boy, the idea of making him a set of cross country skis from an old shingle. Henry balks when the boy tries to teach him to ski, but when he is accidentally left behind at the ski cabin, he catches a few mice for the road, teaches himself how to use those silly things, and starts skiing home! Lovely illustrations and a wry sense of humor add to the appeal of this charming story. Buy it from BookShop. The other Henry books are also worth getting and include High-wire Henry, Henry the Sailor Cat, and Hot Air Henry.

Moses the Kitten - - by James Herriot; illustrated by Peter Barrett Scholastic, 1984. The story of an orphaned kitten who is rescued from the cold and the adopted by a mother pig. You may all ready be familiar with James Herriot's tales of life as a country veterinarian. The text of this picture book is taken from one of his original stories but the bright cheery illustrations make it accessible to young children. Moses is a little black kitten, found almost frozen to death as the vet drives up to a remote farm. The farm wife saves him by popping him into an old-fashioned warming oven and feeding him warm milk. Once he revives, Moses is placed outside in a barn that is being heated to warm a sow and her litter of new piglets. No one knows quite how it happens, but the pig comes to adopt little orphaned Moses as one of her own. Moses nurses right along with the other piglets, and sleeps in a big warm heap of them, a little black streak among all that pink. I love the way Moses chooses a living breathing mommy and warm breast milk over an electric heater and a lifeless bowl.This gentle warm tale is really an all ages book. Younger children will love it because the story is so simple and direct, but the text is plenty complicated for older kids as well. Buy it at Amazon

Six Dinner Sid - - by Inge Moore Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1991. Sid the cat gets six dinners a day by convincing six different owners that he belongs only to them. This book is one of our all time favorites. It is the story of a wily black cat who manages to get six dinners a day by convincing six different owners that he belongs only to them. He has six different names, six different sleeping spots and six different special spots to be petted. This is all fine with Sid until one day he gets a cold and gets taken to the vet - six different times! The story is told with a light sense of humour that children love. You will smile too, as the personality quirks of all Sid's owners emerge - from a cats eye view! With not too many words to a page, this book is good for younger listeners. It is a charming, endearing tale that you won't want to miss. Buy it from BookShop.

The Fire Cat - - by Esther Averill HarperCollins Publishers, 1960,1988. Pickles the cat learns to help others after he is adopted by the fire station. I loved this book when I was a child and it is a real pleasure to see my own child fall in love with it as well. It is the story of Pickles, a stray cat who wants to do big things, but all he can find to do is chase other cats out of his yard. One day he chases a small cat up a tree and then cannot get down. When Fireman Joe rescues him and brings him back to the firehouse to live, Pickles finds a purpose in his life. He learns to slide down the fire pole, ride on the truck, and even to make friends with other cats. I won't give away the ending but it is likely to moisten your eyes a bit. This book is in easy reader format but it makes a great read aloud for younger kids as well. The illustrations by the author have a grave, old fashioned charm. It is interesting to see very young children relating to this story,which contains themes that are adult in many ways. Buy it from BookShop. Buy it from Amazon.

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A Year With Molly and Emmett - - by Marylin Hafner Candlewick Press, 1997. Molly and her big orange cat Emmett enjoy the seasons of the year in this cheery cartoon style book. Marylin Hafner created this comic series for beginning readers for Ladybug magazine. Each page brims with life and humour as Molly and her very large orange tabby, Emmett go through the adventures of ordinary life together. The seasons flow by with a pleasant rythm as Molly and Emmett go to the zoo in spring, camping in summer, buy school supplies in fall and celebrate the multicultural holidays in winter. Molly is an energetic and engaging heroine; loving and full of adventure. She is a great role model for girls and boys alike. The comic strip format is great for new readers. The text is completely integrated with the pictures and kids relate to it in a whole new way. They really want to know what is being said in each frame in order to relate to the action of the story. Pre-readers will love this cheery, warm book as well. Buy it from Amazon.

Cross Country Cat - - by Mary Calhoun; illustrated by Erick Ingraham Mulberry Books, 1979. A clever siamese cat learns to ski in order to find his family again. We discovered Mary Calhoun's wonderful Henry series quite by chance, but we can't seem to get him out of our heads around here. Aaron has had a whole series of fantasy adventures revolving around this smart and resourceful siamese cat. All the Henry books are delightful, but Cross Country Cat has remained a favorite. You see, among his many remarkable qualities, Henry the cat can walk upright on his hind legs. This gets him into some interesting situations, but it gives his owner, a little boy, the idea of making him a set of cross country skis from an old shingle. Henry balks when the boy tries to teach him to ski, but when he is accidentally left behind at the ski cabin, he catches a few mice for the road, teaches himself how to use those silly things, and starts skiing home! Lovely illustrations and a wry sense of humor add to the appeal of this charming story. Buy it from BookShop. The other Henry books are also worth getting and include High-wire Henry, Henry the Sailor Cat, and Hot Air Henry.

Moses the Kitten - - by James Herriot; illustrated by Peter Barrett Scholastic, 1984. The story of an orphaned kitten who is rescued from the cold and the adopted by a mother pig. You may all ready be familiar with James Herriot's tales of life as a country veterinarian. The text of this picture book is taken from one of his original stories but the bright cheery illustrations make it accessible to young children. Moses is a little black kitten, found almost frozen to death as the vet drives up to a remote farm. The farm wife saves him by popping him into an old-fashioned warming oven and feeding him warm milk. Once he revives, Moses is placed outside in a barn that is being heated to warm a sow and her litter of new piglets. No one knows quite how it happens, but the pig comes to adopt little orphaned Moses as one of her own. Moses nurses right along with the other piglets, and sleeps in a big warm heap of them, a little black streak among all that pink. I love the way Moses chooses a living breathing mommy and warm breast milk over an electric heater and a lifeless bowl.This gentle warm tale is really an all ages book. Younger children will love it because the story is so simple and direct, but the text is plenty complicated for older kids as well. Buy it at Amazon

Six Dinner Sid - - by Inge Moore Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1991. Sid the cat gets six dinners a day by convincing six different owners that he belongs only to them. This book is one of our all time favorites. It is the story of a wily black cat who manages to get six dinners a day by convincing six different owners that he belongs only to them. He has six different names, six different sleeping spots and six different special spots to be petted. This is all fine with Sid until one day he gets a cold and gets taken to the vet - six different times! The story is told with a light sense of humour that children love. You will smile too, as the personality quirks of all Sid's owners emerge - from a cats eye view! With not too many words to a page, this book is good for younger listeners. It is a charming, endearing tale that you won't want to miss. Buy it from BookShop.

The Fire Cat - - by Esther Averill HarperCollins Publishers, 1960,1988. Pickles the cat learns to help others after he is adopted by the fire station. I loved this book when I was a child and it is a real pleasure to see my own child fall in love with it as well. It is the story of Pickles, a stray cat who wants to do big things, but all he can find to do is chase other cats out of his yard. One day he chases a small cat up a tree and then cannot get down. When Fireman Joe rescues him and brings him back to the firehouse to live, Pickles finds a purpose in his life. He learns to slide down the fire pole, ride on the truck, and even to make friends with other cats. I won't give away the ending but it is likely to moisten your eyes a bit. This book is in easy reader format but it makes a great read aloud for younger kids as well. The illustrations by the author have a grave, old fashioned charm. It is interesting to see very young children relating to this story,which contains themes that are adult in many ways. Buy it from BookShop. Buy it from Amazon.