This is a magical book perfect for cat lovers. It had a very Roald Dahl/ Lemony Snicket-esque feel to it with the evil aunt and uncle and orphan child but it left me with lots of unanswered questions.

Overall it was a quick, fun read, tense in places and heartwarming in others. I hope there is a sequel and we can catch up with Rosa and her new life in Italy.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan children’s books for my arc.

Rosa by Starlight is a stunning, beautifully told contemporary fantasy adventure where magic flows, bringing the chance of hope and happiness for a young girl in need of both.

Following the death of her parents, Rosa has been living with her aunt and uncle. They treat her cruelly including locking her in her room at night, taking away her fairy tale books and cutting down her apple tree in order to replace it with the artificial grass that is their business.

As Rosa’s world becomes more insular and lonelier, she finds magic when a large, black cat walks through her window – and the window is closed! Rosa adores Balthazar who helps her find a beautiful Venetian glass bead bracelet in her garden, but what connection could this bracelet have to Rosa?

The discovery of the bracelet coincides with Rosa’s aunt and uncle’s announcement of a trip to Venice which they intend to take when Rosa is on a school trip to Wales. When the school trip is cancelled at the last minute, Rosa must accompany her aunt and uncle to Venice …

Once in Venice, Rosa finds herself abandoned by her cruel, heartless aunt and uncle. Staying in a hotel run by the Mancinis, she begins to explore the city – noticing its cats – and its magic. When Rosa finds herself in incredible danger, can magic save her? Will she find the friendship and family she desperately wants amongst the cats and people she meets in Venice?

Whilst Rosa’s story is a heart-wrenching exploration of loneliness, told through the window of magical realism, it is also a story imbued with a sense of awe and a feeling of hope. The Venetian setting of shadows and light adds to the magic of the story and gives the reader a sense of being ‘outside of reality’ as they explore the Venice Rosa experiences from its hotels and piazzas to its bridges and waterways … and her unique bond with its feline friends.

Rosa is an incredibly sympathetic young girl who has felt loneliness from a young age after her cold, heartless aunt and uncle become her guardians. She has a gentle and kind nature, but also an inner strength, determination and resilience which gives her hope as she takes small freedoms and makes connections that may bring her happiness.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning and complement the magical, heartfelt story-telling perfectly.

A magical, timeless and beautifully told story that is just perfect for readers of 8+.

Twenty years ago, we're told, a girl and a cat had a marvellous connection. A connection with a cat is about all young Rosa has now – her parents long dead and her aunt and uncle guardians of the more horrid, fairy tale variety, she can't really get on with people at school nearly as much as she can with the cat two doors up. He, Balthazar, has servants, a daily menu (with photos) to choose his meals from, and more. He seems to admit to his magic powers most reluctantly – but with Rosa in mind, he's going to make sure there is a greater sense of the magic she holds. And it'll take the girl all the way to Venice.

If the phase hadn't died out nice and quickly I'd have said this was a lockdown creation – we all saw the kind of book that was built around something mighty fine, but with bricks in the wrong pattern, the mortar too sloppy and things not quite as straight and level as they should be. This too seems a touch too slack – it's about too much, touching on more than the short running time can allow. Here's Rosa's grief for the parents she has forgotten, here's the evil people being evil, here's the magic of the cat world, here's why it's always good to have a couple of words of Italian. Here's too much of Venice for this to not smell of a love letter to the place when it might have been a tighter fantasy – for fantasy is what it ultimately is. A fantasy of Venice where the Rialto Bridge is one of the least populated spots, for one.

I certainly didn't dislike this – it has too much about it, but too much about it to not work on some level. But finding closure to so much doesn't allow for much to be as impactful as it might have been, which is one further indication of why this is over-stretched. It's a pleasant read when it might have been a sterling achievement. And despite the bravura management of the scenario in act three, this ultimately leaves us asking about the magic – and realising where we might have received more of it. Three and a smidge stars.

Rosa by Starlight is a sweet, whimsical modern-day fairytale which will be enjoyed by older primary readers, featuring an intrepid orphan, two very unpleasant guardians, a trip to Venice and lots of cats!

After Rosa is orphaned as a young child, her aunt and uncle arrive to look after her, but they treat her with little care and are more interesting in developing their artificial grass business (has there ever been a better vocation for a fictional villain?) Rosa is locked in her bedroom each night, but unbeknownst to her uncle and aunt she is able to climb out of her window, and strikes up a friendship with the cat next door as well as communicating with the stars.

When a planned school trip to Wales is cancelled (for a highly amusing reason!), Rosa ends up accompanying her relatives to Venice, but once there is pretty much left to her own devices, with only a twenty euro note and a limited grasp of Italian to keep her going. Events take a magical, if surreal, turn as Rosa becomes interested in the plight of the cats of Venice.

This is a charming read thanks to Hilary McKay's humorous writing style and Keith Robinson's delightful illustrations. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review!

Adore Hilary McKay's writing, it's like her books envelop me in a hug whilst I'm reading. Magical. As is this book, it must be as it even made me appreciate cats :)

Hilary McKay is just simply one of the best authors currently writing for children and young adults, (actually, her books would appeal to readers of any age) and her Costa award winning book The Skylark’s War is one of my favourite reads…ever. Her stories are timeless, and I have no doubt that, in years to come, she will be hailed as on of the classic authors of our age.
Her latest creation is Rosa by Starlight, which tells the story of the delightful Rosa Mundi. Rosa was orphaned at the tender age of 4 and has the great misfortune to now be under the guardianship of her cold and cruel aunt and uncle. Rosa’s only source of friendship and reassurance is Balthazar, a curious and magical cat.
Being locked into her bedroom at night is a regular occurrence, so her book of fairy tales becomes her comfort, solace, and guide. Rosa also happens to be plucky and resourceful, and frequently escapes through her window into the garden to spend time with her feline friend.
When her aunt and uncle plan a work trip to Venice, their plans of travelling without Rosa are scuppered and they are forced to take her with them. They too, however, are relatively resourceful, and manage to abandon Rosa in a dingy, family run hotel. With no family or friends to turn to, how will Rosa manage in her new surroundings?
As older, more experienced readers, we might well have encountered numerous, poorly treated, literary orphans, and are acquainted with their lovelorn existences. Rosa is no exception to these orphans of a bygone age: she is little more than a nuisance and a hindrance to her relatives. And while she has a roof over her head, she is not afforded any love. All readers will feel this lack, as McKay’s writing just oozes with authorial empathy, and will turn every page with ease, wanting to know whether Rosa will ever experience happiness and love.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Why did I request this book? Because it had a picture of a venetian canal and bridge of course. Was I happy with my choice, absolutely!

At the start of the story there is an introduction of a character Sophie and a little ginger kitten, Sophie is from England and on holiday in Italy. The kitten has to be left in Italy of course. But, this was 20 years ago.

Then we meet Rosa Mundi, an eleven year old who had until the age of four lived with her parents. Now she had two people who had claimed to be her aunt and uncle and no one had questioned them . Now she was Rosa Monday. And at the age of just four she had to be independent because they didn't help with anything, not even baths. After that first day with her new Aunt and Uncle she awoke to a large black cat (Balthazar) sitting on her windowsill, a cat that touched the window and made a cat shaped hole that he just walked through! And he could speak!
Rosa beloved family home changed. Rooms were painted, family clutter was removed and toys vanished. Her Aunt and Uncle really aren't pleasant.

When Rosa went to school she realised that 'tucking up' wasn't locking the door but putting someone to bed by covering them up to keep them safe and warm. But Rosa didn't really mind, she could climb out of the window anyway!

When Rosa suggested one day that her Aunt and Uncle had changed her name - to Monday...they were not happy. One day while trying to plant apple pips under the awful plastic grass her Uncle sells and which they have put over the whole garden. Rosa is instructed by Balthazar to dig in a certain area, she digs up a bracelet - it's beautiful, with jewel coloured beads - very Venetian. But Balthazar snatches it away from her Aunt as she throws it. He disappears with it.

Rosa is allowed to go on a school trip at the age of 11 to Wales. She is so excited by the idea of a whole week away from her Aunt and Uncle but that last day at school, the teachers are so excited. They've won the lottery the trip is cancelled and they're all leaving that day. Oh no!

But Rosa finds out her Aunt and uncle were going on a business trip to Venice. They are not happy, but book Rosa a ticket and say she'll have to stay in a different hotel. But from that first moment at that water bus stop Rosa realises something strange is happening. And it all starts with a ginger cat....

I really enjoyed this story. Rosa's life is very unpleasant with her Aunt and Uncle, they are definitely the stuff of nightmares! But she really believes in magic, and the cats are part of this magic world. She meets probably the most famous cat in Venice on her adventures. And what happens while she is there...well, she learns that Venice is expensive and Italian isn't so difficult to learn with the right teacher!

I would love to get this for school. I think the children would really enjoy it. It is well written and the character of Rosa is lovely and her Aunt and Uncle are horrid what more could you want in a story...oh yes a magic cat.

I feel after reading this book that I'd like my time spent reading it reimbursed.
At first I kept reading because I thought something might happen...but honestly even by the end of the book, bar a trip to Venice, basically nothing happened.
The author has a decent Enough writing style, but to me it comes across as someone who has written for adults for many years, then turned to children's books, and hasn't quite made the switch successfully.
I wish I had something positive to say, but honestly I was bored throughout waiting for something interesting to happen, disappointed by the end, and just glad it was over with.

What a lovely magical story. I love reading about magic myself so it was wonderful to read this book with my 8 year old at bedtimes!
We are now looking into a trip to Venice haha!
Can't wait to read more book by the author!

After losing both parents at a young age, Rosa falls under the guardianship of her ‘wicked’ Aunt and Uncle who are only interested in making money and give Rosa the Cinderella treatment. Visited by a mysterious cat, Rosa begins to question her situation.

A surprise trip to Venice leaves Rosa immersed in an unfamiliar setting and unable to speak a word of Italian, Rosa bravely navigates her new surroundings. Despite her naivety (which is rather endearing), Rosa unwittingly unravels a long-held secret and with a little help from her feline friends and a sprinkling of magic, confronts her reality. But will she get her happy ever after?

A truly stunning modern fairytale with strong Cinderella vibes. Hilary has a magical way with words that creates a magical yet realistic experience of life in Venice. Above all, I cherished Hilary’s description of the Italian language as “spinning pennies and fireworks”.

This is an absolutely delightful book for all of the family. The whole age range of 8 to almost 80 adored this story, it is sure to become a classic .

I have to say i’m a bit disappointed with this book. I heard many good reviews about the author, but sadly i think this book doesn’t have what i expected to have. I was expecting a book full of magic, but didn’t really find one.

As usual with McKay this is well-written with a surreal magical quality that incorporates plenty of familiar, genre standards. Not all elements are always convincing but that just adds to the enchantment and the charm that is full of warmth and hope. And the cats upstage quite a lot! A beautiful, dreamy read that stays with you well after the final page.

FELICITAZIONI Signora McKay for writing yet another incredible book. Rosa By Starlight is a poignant yet uplifting story of an orphan who finds danger, magic, cats and friendship in Venice. This is McKay, as always, at her very best and her wonderful story is brought to life by the very brilliant illustrations by Keith Robinson. I devoured this book and will definitely buy at least one copy when it publishes in August.

A new Hilary McKay book is always a treat to savour and Rosa by Starlight is no exception. With her trademark warmth and wit, McKay shows children that with hope and friendship they can overcome anything and there will always be a brighter day ahead. Beautiful storytelling and characters you will want to tuck in your pocket and carry with you. I loved every moment of it.
Carmen Haselup, Chapter34Books

A delightfully magical story. If you want a quick and compelling read that is totally original, then this is the book for you.

When Rosa becomes an orphan at an early age, an unknown aunt and uncle decide to take on the role of guardians. They are distant and cold right from the start and waste no time removing all homely comforts. As a result, Rosa finds herself relying on the company of a mysterious pampered black cat called Balthazar. However, a cancelled school trip sees the aunt and uncle whisk Rosa away to Venice in order to abandon the child they consider to be dull. It is here that the magical adventure begins!

Rosa by Starlight is a dreamy novel full of surreal humour and whimsy. A gentle fantasy about magic, escapism and the meaning of home… and cats…lots of cats.

I was first enticed to read Rosa by Starlight when I saw Keith Robinson’s beautiful cover. And then came the prologue- a sensational piece of writing that took my breath away.

Rosa’s life has taken a terrible turn and when her aunt and uncle materialise, things get even worse.

From the outset, I sensed something surreal about this novel. This came from details like the diametric physical characteristics of Rosa’s two new ‘guardians’ and the quirky description of the awkward conversations between little Rosa and her neighbours in the opening chapter. And then, when all seems lost, through the window (the glass-literally) comes Balthazar- a big black cat, who brings hope, a touch of magic and some class to the proceedings! There are lots of other rather random, surreal moments peppered throughout, which added to the quirky charm of the novel.

When Rosa is transported to Venice following another surreal turn of events, she seems more lost than ever; but Venice is a place where magic can happen and where lots and lots of cats assemble!

It’s interesting that the prologue focuses a lot on time: there’s something dream-like and almost timeless about the setting, apart from the odd reference that anchors the story to an approximate time period. Time has another important role to play in the novel as we near the end.

I enjoyed Rosa by Starlight and loved the playful prose. I’m looking forward to picking out some more books by Hilary McKay.

Suitable for readers aged 8 and above.

Thanks to the author, Macmillan Children’s Books and Netgalley for and the eARC.

I love Hilary McKay’s books so much. They’re always warm and charming and you know you’re in safe hands. Rosa By Starlight is no exception, but it is a bit of a departure, featuring actual (unexplained) magic. Rosa is an adorable character and I loved the descriptions of Venice, but I think perhaps the cats stole the show. Just lovely.

This book was absolutely enchanting. It had a sense of whimsy that for me evoked the feeling of the wonderful Eva Ibbotson's novels. A heartwarming story of an orphan's journey full of hope and magic set in enchanting Venice - the book's illustrations were spellbinding. 100% recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved reading about Rosa and the challenges facing her following the loss of her parents. Cue a highly pampered feline, a trip to Venice and the scene is set for a magical adventure for those brave enough to believe and hope. I loved the intriguing start to the book and found myself smiling when this made sense.