Fall Reading 2013 Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea

Lisa Martin's story of two feline brothers named Anton and Cecil packs in a lot of adventure for the furry little guys. They live in a harbor town and see the ships coming and going all the time. Cecil is more daring and boards a ship one day to see what it is like. He chooses a fishing vessel that comes back to the harbor each night. He always has stories to tell of what he has seen each day. He even wonders what he might see if he went on a longer journey. Anton is very different. He is content to be stay on shore, especially because he can listen to music in the saloon in town. One day when he is watching a new ship prepare to sail for the first time, Anton is scooped up and taken aboard by the sailors to keep rats out of their pantry. When Cecil hears what has happened, he jumps on the next ship heading out to sea and searches for his brother. Most of the book describes all the danger, hardships, and even some good times that Anton and Cecil experience while they try to find their way back home.

Although there are fantasy elements, most of the description aboard the ship is done realistically. You can feel the stifling heat when there is no rain for days. Then you can smell the "sour, greasy odor" of the rat hiding in the Mary Anne's larder. This is not a book that would convince cats everywhere to decide they wanted to be shipboard cats. If you enjoy stories that feature animals like the Warriors series, then you would probably like this book very much. Check the book's website for more information.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley. The book was published October 8, 2013.