"Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World" by Igor Shnayder is a charming and touching story about Mur, the heroic cat. Mur faces hardships in a fairy-tale animal world in this charmingly whimsical narrative with life lessons. The author expertly emphasises that genuine power comes from compassion, intelligence, honesty, and empathy, not physical might.

Mur meets many charming characters, from assisting people to becoming friends with dragons. The story is amusing and deep, making it appealing to youngsters and adults. Children learn about friendship and goodwill from Mur's adventures, which are perfectly incorporated into the novel.

Mur emphasises the value of passing on lessons, sharing his experiences and acquired knowledge with friends and family after returning home. Mur's mystical world is brought to life with captivating drawings. "Mur, the Kitty-Knight" is a charming tale that teaches morals and entertains, making it a great addition to any child's bookshelves.

My thanks to BookBuzz for a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

From the title and cover of this book, I’m sure it’s no surprise that I clicked on and requested this book the moment I saw it on NetGalley. This is a cute little independently published children’s book about the adventures of a kitten Mur, who grows up to be a Kitty Knight, not only brave but also kind and compassionate. Written by Igor Shnayder, the review copy didn’t mention whether the author himself or someone else created the lovely art which was in the book.

When the tiny kitten Mur is born in the town of Kittengale, his mother knows at once that there is something special within him. And so it is for he is brave and bright but also kind and generous helping everyone he can. His mother knows that he is a ‘Knight of goodness and bravery’ and to become that he goes to train with a wise master, Shurko who of course not only helps him build his physical prowess but also strength of mind and spirit. In short chapters, we follow Mur’s various adventures as he locates a missing neighbour, solves a puzzle, resolves a conflict amicably, helps a lost creature find her family, finds a missing relic and competes in a tournament, among others. This is a children’s book meant to convey lessons and through each episode, and seeks to put across (without being didactic) how it is much more than what we call bravery that is truly important, how conflict can easy be resolved by communication, how one shouldn’t do things merely for rewards since helping others is its own reward, and how competition or coming out on top is not necessarily the best outcome but acknowledging the strengths of each is more fulfilling.

These little episodes are very enjoyable, and I liked the different adventures that Mur has, whether it is helping lost folk, recovering missing relics, solving complex riddles or navigating terrains full of obstacles. All of the characters are likeable, especially Mur himself and any child reader would enjoy spending time with them. Each chapter has one full colour illustration, all of which I thought were beautiful. We also have some lovely descriptions, such as of the mysterious ‘Star Lake’:

The lake gleamed in the moonlight, reflecting stars that seemed to have drowned in its depths.

While all the stories were lovely, fleshing out and developing some of them would have made some of them far better. For instance, in the story of the Mysterious Island, we are told that Mur solves a difficult riddle requiring plenty of effort—I’d have preferred to know what it was and how he solved it; similarly, while accompanying the Golden Butterfly, I’d have liked to hear some of her stories and know something of the obstacles they faced, in the Star Lake the secret of the runes, and from the Fox Queen’s ball, who had hidden the relic and why? The honey thief story and that of the dragon were in that sense my favourites since they seemed more complete.

Mur the Kitty Knight is a lovely character and idea, and gives the intended audience some enjoyable stories. If a little more detail is added to some of these, it would make them more satisfying reading.

3.75 stars rounded off to 4

This book was cute, but it was either too long or too short. I felt like it needed to either have more details to be a chapter book or less events and more pictures to be a picture book.

3 stars

I fell in love with the cover and then I fell in love with the story and the illustrations.
Entertaining and well done. Some fault to this cat in armour would make him more powerful.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An enchanting tale that takes readers on a delightful journey through a magical realm of animals. Mur, the brave and kind-hearted cat, captures your heart from the very beginning as he embarks on daring adventures filled with friendship and valuable life lessons.

From rescuing a rare plant to attending a royal ball, Mur's actions exemplify the true essence of heroism, proving that strength lies not only in physical prowess but also in compassion and empathy. The charming narrative beautifully weaves together themes of kindness, wisdom, and the importance of helping others. Young readers are sure to be captivated by Mur's endearing character and the wonder of the fairy-tale animal world

Hey, everyone! I just finished reading "Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World," and oh my goodness, it's an absolute gem! Imagine this, a little cat named Mur becomes a knight in a magical land of animals! How cool is that? Mur goes on epic adventures, rescues stuff, hangs out with a dragon, and even rocks it at a royal ball. Talk about being a true hero!

But here's the best part - this book teaches us that being strong isn't just about muscles. Nah, it's about being kind, wise, and caring for others. And let me tell you, Mur's got all of that! So, if you're into adorable animals, magical quests, and life lessons wrapped in awesomeness, you gotta read this book.

A fun book about a kitty becoming a knight. Mur goes on adventures helping other animals until he can come home as a knight. I thought the illustrations were great, but the stories could have a little more depth, along with more depth to Mur's character which felt a little flat. The length of the book with short chapters would be good for young readers, but some of the words might be confusing for kids. I also think the font could be improved for easier reading. If your kid likes adventures classic storytelling, this would be a good choice for them

Mur the Kitty Knight was a debut children book with amazingly beautiful illustrations. Written with classics type plot and storytelling style, this book will guide your younglings to learn big qualities to become a Knight.

Personally illustrations in this book mesmerizing me since the cover page. The streotipe troublemaker gingercat with handsome armor and regal pose. Who's dont want to see it happen?
The story chapters offer short adventure of the Mur but I really want extra depth in his personality. He seem very perfect since born and never make mistakes. I wish our children can learn more to understand about perfectly imperfect.


Thank you Netgalley and the author to provided my ecopy. My thoughts and opinion are my own. This cute book self published 2 July 2023

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free ARC.

"Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World" is a delightful book that sparkles with imagination and wonder. The first thing that catches the eye and captivates the reader is the enchanting illustrations that beautifully complement the imaginative and magical world presented in the book, making it a visual treat.
The concept behind the book is intriguing and fresh, whisking readers away to, a place filled with fantastical creatures and endless adventures. The author's expressive writing style brings the stories to life with vivid descriptions and lively characters, making it an engaging and enjoyable read.
While "Enchanting Escapades in Dreamland" has many positive aspects, there are a couple of minor drawbacks to mention. Firstly, the choice of font used in the book could be improved for a more pleasant reading experience.
Additionally, while the book contains multiple short stories, I wished for a more detailed elaboration on each adventure or the combination of two adventures to add an extra layer of excitement and engagement.
Despite these minor shortcomings, "Enchanting Escapades in Dreamland" is a delightful and imaginative read that takes readers on whimsical journeys to an enchanting world. The captivating illustrations, creative concepts, and skilled storytelling make it a captivating addition to any bookshelf.

In the tradition of the classic fairy tales many of us grew up with, "Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World" presents a young kitten who flouts convention and grows up to be a valiant and virtuous knight.

I read this entirely for the cover, and the art does not disappoint—saturated and whimsical, with no shortage of animals in armor or fancy dress. (I'm particularly keen on the fox queen in her ballgown.) I'm guessing that it's some sort of digital illustration, but art is not my forte, so don't take my word for it!

In each chapter, Mur the kitty-knight tackles another problem and learns a few lessons. The chapters are short (a page or two each) and often closer to a summary of how Mur solved the problem than a fully fleshed-out story; each chapter, if extended, could be its own picture book. I think this would be best for adults who are happy to extend the story when reading to their children—to pick a chapter or two at a time and embellish wildly, or get the children to speculate. Who might have stolen the royal globe, and why? What might it be like for villagers to be afraid of the dragon? What could the riddle on the mysterious island be? Could be a fun read for kids with vivid imaginations—and, of course, a love of cats.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the eARC.

'Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures' is a beautiful children's book. The cover and all the inside illustrations are so beautiful and really caught my attention.. The story is easy and shows important perspectives to teach kids qualities that can help them in life. Some of the chapters left me wanting more of the story, like the 'Mur and the Mystery of the Star Lake''. (what could improve the life of the forest dwellers?), but i think that is my adult mind talking. In the end, the book is really cute and the ilustrations are amazing, I would certainly read it to a younger family member.

This is a story about Mur, a cat wanting to become a knight and go on adventures. Throughout the story, Mur comes across various animals facing issues, and he uses different techniques to solve them, which ultimately leads to him returning home as a knight at last. Although a short read, it was fun and I can imagine children enjoying the story, but some advanced vocabulary may need to be briefly explained by an adult. The illustrations were also nice, and I would recommend this to parents looking for a bedtime read about cats, knights, and friendship.