Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet

Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet by Julie Murphy (Union Square Kids – New South Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781454956471

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

“No hissing. No scratching. No biting.” Those are the three key rules Catty Corner must abide by when she is out in public – but it’s sort of hard when you’re a half-cat.

Little Catty is in Year 3, but she’s been homeschooled by her mum – who’s also half-cat – her whole life. She’s quite happy with that arrangement, staying at home away from the judging eyes of other children, particularly the boy across the road. Catty has everything she needs.

Then, Catty’s world is turned upside down when her mother announces she has a new job that means she won’t be at home during the day. What’s more, it also means that Catty is going to have to start going to her local school – from Monday!

Catty worries that the other children won’t accept her. That with her cat ears and furry tail, she’ll be teased for being different. And, that she won’t be able to control her kitty-cat ways and will embarrass herself.

Unfortunately, she has no choice and, somewhat reluctantly, with her ears hidden under a hat and her tail tucked beneath her shirt, Catty boards the school bus. To her surprise, she quickly makes a friend who doesn’t care that she’s half-cat. Her teacher also turns out to be very understanding.

But not everyone is.

And not everything goes the way it should.

Filled with ‘kitty-cat’ puns and a few CAT-astrophes, Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet is a fun read with a quiet message of positivity and self-belief.

Author, Julie Murphy, has created an endearing protagonist in Catty, along with a cast of relatable characters in this character-driven novel for readers aged 6 to 8 years.

If you are a cat person – or even if you’re not – you won’t be able to help yourself from relating to Catty and cheering her on as she navigates her new school and accepting herself for who she is rather than who she thinks she should be.