A Tale of Three Tabbies

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.
Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE. Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?

From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12. A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.

A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.

I actually have a picture book on the stray cats of Greece so this one called me to read it. I love Tabby Cats … they are walking love bugs and their story with their new family Was endearing. Perfect for any cat lover and kids who are 8 to 12 will inhale this book and keep re-reading it. The book involves a lot of stress in regard to COVID lockdowns, worries that the cats will have to be left behind, etc. but this is for older kids and leaving that out would be revisionist history.
Highly recommended and many blessings and thanks to the rescuers of these three little lost and in need of owner kitties. (We actually don't own cats, they own us!)
#shortbutsweetreviews

Princess Fuzzypants here: Since this is based on a real story I assume, that with certain literary licence,, the things that are written did occur. I found the book pleaded the case for the kitties that every tourist encounters in Greece. On some islands they await the boats, stretched out in the sun lining the paths from the docks. Some islands appear to take care of their kitties. But not the island in this book. There are kind humans who attempt to help them but there are also evil people who wish only to do them harm.

Three little kitties charm the “legal bubble” of two mothers who are sisters on vacation with their five children. When the family come to eat a the restaurant of a kindly man, the three “adopt” them but are so sad when one day, they leave. Soon the kindly man will return to Athens as the summer season has ended and life becomes hard scrabble and brutal the island’s cats.

Twice two sets of strangers arrive at the island looking for something. The first one catnaps the nastiest cat on the island but bring her back. They are searching for specific kitties- the three tabbies. Third time is lucky as the lady who feeds the cats knows exactly which ones are getting the break. The trip from Greece to England is not easy but when the kitties are welcomed by their new forever humans, it is all worth the sadness and the struggle.

Sometimes the story seems so bleak but things do work out and I think that young readers who love cats will not only want to buy this book (part of the proceeds go to feeding the cats in Greece) but may want to get involved in cat rescues. For that alone, I give five purrs and two paws up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advance copy of this book. I was drawn in by the cat on the cover, as it looks like my cats. The story did not disappoint! It was sad at times and definitely made me want to go see some kitties in Greece, I definitely recommend.

Book Review: A Tale of Three Tabbies
Author: Jane Lightbourne
Publisher: Nevada Street Press
Publication Date: April 27, 2023
Review Date: June 3, 2023

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the blurb:
“October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.

Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE.

Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?

From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12.

A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.

A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.”
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Wow! I just love Jane Lightbourne’s books. I was taken with her previous book, A Cat Called Red, and once again, I have only good, good things to say about A Tale of Three Tabbies.

What I especially liked about Three Tabbies was the conversations between the stray cats, starting in Chapter 8. I am always drawn in when animal characters come alive and speak. This story stole my heart, and I nightly, highly recommend this book, for animal lovers, and perhaps to be read aloud to children at bedtime.

This review will be posted on NetGalley and Goodreads.

#netgalley #taleofthreetabbies #janelightbourne #booksforanimallovers #booksfor children

This was such a sweet book, I absolutely loved it, and I am an adult! It’s a story that suitable for reading yourself or reading out loud to children. The cats’ personalities were so well described, and the difficulties faced by cats every day on the street in Greece (lockdown or no lockdown) were very well documented. Highly recommended book which is based on a true story.

This book focuses on the plight of cats in Agrion of Greece during the peak time of pandemic that the world has faced. Two English sisters take their five children go on a vacation to Greece following all the covid protocols for a reprieve for a bit and the kids feel for three tabbies in Agrion and feed them as possible in the circumstances. Some chapters are from these cat’s point of view and they feel so relatable along with being cute. But this is a real situation in Greece that I definitely had no idea about and this family decided to adopt this tabby family but they have no idea how much brexit and Covid affects rescuing these cats. That too from Greece to United Kingdom is a whole another story altogether. The end felt so satisfying that it is too endearing!

I chose this because at the time, I was looking for a light, easy read. I'm a cat lover, and the title and cover illustration appealed to me.

I found this fun and pleasant to read, and the illustrations were charming. The story is set during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there were some references to Brexit. This was something that I was able to appreciate as a reader, because I felt it helped me to relate to the story. I also realised that the story was based partly on true events, which brought a smile to my face.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Any book with a cat can definitely melt my heart and if we're talking about three, OMG! This book is packed with adventures of the three Tabbies during a rescue mission. And there's a catch, this book is inspired by the real life events the author faced while actually rescuing these three Tabbies. How wonderful is that!
If you're looking to get your little one into reading, this book is definitely the. Even if it's you who wants to get out of a reading slump, I'm sure this sweet little book can help with the adorable little cats and their big big emotions.

A bitter-sweet and heartwarming story about life on a Greek island during COVID, saving cats and the bond between a boy and a cat
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It is a poignant yet heartwarming tales about saving cats during the days of the lockdown. The writing is beautifully done. It just brings back memories of those insane days.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order next year and will recommend it to students once we have it.

This is a heartwarming story that holds your attention from the first until the last. I loved that it was based on a true story about how the stray cats were rescued.
I received a complimentary copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.