The Cats in the Doll Shop

Gr 2—5—This companion to The Doll Shop Downstairs (Viking, 2009) features Anna, now 11 years old. She's concerned about a mother cat and her three-legged kitten in need of a home. If only she could convince her father to change his mind about having pets in the shop. She is also worried about her cousin, a shy and skittish girl from Russia. While the doll that Anna makes for her seems to comfort Tania, there is still a lot of sadness in her cousin. Can Anna help her acclimate to her new life, or does the answer to Tania's happiness actually lie in the fate of the cat and kitten? This is a sweet and old-fashioned story, similar in style to Sydney Taylor's All-of-a-Kind Family (Wilcox & Follett, 1951), set in World War I-era New York. Sensitive readers will relate to Anna's desire to make everything right for her cousin and, because the cat and kitten have a happy ending, the book is a fine choice for animal lovers as well.—Elizabeth Swistock, Jefferson Madison Regional Library, Charlottesville, VA