Shadow the Barn Cat

Title: Shadow the Barn Cat
Author: Helga Moser
Series: Pleasant Valley Farm series
Major Themes: Cats
Synopsis: Shadow the cat has a secret—but can she find a safe place to keep her secret until she’s ready to share it?

Book catalogues—what few there are these days—are dangerous things. When I saw the Pleasant Valley Farm series in a catalogue recently, I knew my younger brother would love one for his birthday. However, which one to choose? I finally settled on Shadow the Barn Cat, but all four books look quite worthwhile. Judging from the oft-repeated request to “read this book!” and the fact that it’s starting to look rather worn even though we’ve owned it less than six months, I’d say it was well worth the investment.

Shadow has a secret. While she patiently looks for a safe spot to hide her secret in, we meet different animals around the farm. We also learn about how she leads a normal life. Then, finally, she finds a safe cubbyhole—but when that spot becomes unsuitable, she diligently searches for another. Will she ever find the perfect hiding place?

This is a cute story about a cat’s diligence. One thing I appreciate about it is how realistic it is—Shadow is not portrayed as a cat with a human brain; she’s most definitely a cat. The paintings in this book are gorgeous, too, and the binding fairly sturdy. By “fairly”, I mean that it’s held up somehow despite the abuse it’s received from little hands. We’ve had to tape a few pages—baby sister loves the pictures! Overall, Shadow the Barn Cat is a worthwhile book with a cute ending, one that’s great to have on the shelf—if you can keep it there!

No warnings!