The Kitten Nobody Wants by Holly Webb

Mia still hasn't got over her cat's death - she had Tibby for as long as she can remember and can't ever imagine having another pet. But one day, just before Christmas, she finds out that her friend's cat has had kittens. Over the holidays she goes round to play with them. Mia's parents think she has coped with Tibby's loss, and surprise her by saying she can have the last kitten, Whiskers. Mia's not sure she's ready yet - although she loves Whiskers, she feels guilty about Tibby. Can Mia bring herself to keep the new kitten?

This is another fantastic animal story by Holly Webb. Holly Webb has written many stories about animals, mostly about kittens and puppies, and all that I have read are brilliant for children.

In this book, The Kitten Nobody Wants, I think a very important topic is covered - how do children cope when a pet dies? How long should you leave it before discussing 'replacing' that pet? 

The main character, Mia's, cat has recently died, and is lost without him. Her friend's cat has just had kittens but Mia is unsure how she feels - should she be excited, should she go and see the new kittens, should she ask her parents if she could have one of the kittens as a new pet?

I thought that Holly Webb has approached this subject in a great way, talking about how children may be feeling and the ways parents and friends can help a child to get over the lose of a family pet. 

The story is suitable for both boys and girls, although the main character is female, the story is not over feminine and could be enjoyed by boys too. It is a  great book, not too long (about 120 pages long), split into chapters the perfect length to read a couple at bedtime.

The illustration on the front cover is beautiful and is exactly how I imagined Whiskers looked. There are more pencil drawings throughout the book and they complement the story well, however I was unsure about Mia's grandmother - she looked too young.

I would recommend this book to cat lovers everywhere, as it is a cute cat story. However, it is perfect for a child who has just lost their beloved pet and unsure how to feel.

Thank you to Stripes Publishing for sending me the book to review.