• Age: 9 to 11
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 11

A fiesta of feline facts for cat lovers everywhere!

It’s amazing but true: there are approximately six hundred million pet cats around the world! And why not? Not only are they playful, cuddly, and smart, they are also very helpful. Best known as skilled hunters, they can also predict storms and earthquakes, bring comfort to the sick, and have been known to detect diseases in humans.

The love of cats goes back to the ancient Egyptians who worshipped them. Young readers will be fascinated to find out all the rituals attached to cat worship—and will be surprised to discover how cats played a role in the defeat of the Egyptians by the Persians.

In her lively narrative style, author Elizabeth MacLeod recounts the origin of the superstition about black cats —and how owning any cat could have saved your life during the Plague. She explores the role of cats in Japanese and Chinese culture, and provides a useful guide to how cats communicate, both with other cats and humans.

For the millions of young readers who adore cats, this book will keep them riveted with the many stories and facts about the world’s favorite pet.

Liz is one nosy author, which is why she loves writing non-fiction. She’s very curious about why people do what they do, and likes sharing with kids the amazing facts and secrets that she uncovers.As a kid in Thornhill, Ontario, the idea of being a writer never crossed Liz’s mind—she figured most authors were already dead and they definitely weren’t Canadian. Besides, it was science that interested Liz.But writing was already part of Liz’s life. After dinner on school nights, Liz and her two brothers would trudge up to their rooms, close their doors and start to do their homework—or so their parents thought. A few minutes later, a piece of paper would come sliding under Liz’s door. One of her brothers had drawn a picture, usually of some weird creature.Liz really couldn’t draw (still can’t!), so the only way she could respond was to write a short story, often about a mad scientist or space alien. She would slip the story under her brother’s door and—well, not a lot of homework got done.At university, Liz studied sciences—there was hardly any writing involved at all. But after university, she was hired as an editor at OWL magazine, where she could combine writing and her love of science. But it wasn’t long before Liz had a goal: to write a book. Her first one was about lions and since then she’s written more than fifty others.Royal Murder: The Deadly Intrigue of Ten Sovereigns (2008) is one of her favourite books because royalty has always fascinated Liz. She loved going behind the scenes with monarchs from Cleopatra to Dracula to find out just what they would do to hold onto power or protect their families.Bones Never Lie: How Forensics Helps Solve History’s Mysteries (2013) was the winner of numerous awards, including the Crime Writers of Canada 2014 Arthur Ellis Award in the Juvenile/YA category. Liz’s latest book with Annick Press, Galloping Through History: Incredible True Horse Stories (Spring 2015), combines, once again, her outstanding storytelling skills with her passion for history. This time her love of animals also shines through as she recounts the stories of six horses that changed the way humans live, travel, fight, work, and play.Liz lives in Toronto with her husband, Paul, and their cat Cosimo. While she writes, he is usually sprawled across her desk—often right on the book she needs for research!

Elizabeth MacLeod's profile page

• Short-listed, Red Cedar Book Award
• Nominated, Rocky Mountain Book Award
• Commended, EUREKA! Nonfiction Children’s Book Awards Honoree, California Reading Association
• Joint winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

“No cat fancier needs to be told that cats are super. But this fact-filled book will do an excellent job of convincing others . . . highly accessible . . . smart.”

School Library Journal, 05/18

“Will keep readers engaged and entertained for hours.”

Sal’s Fiction Addiction, 07/06/18

“Lively and well researched . . . informative and enjoyable.”

CM Reviews, 12/07/18

“A colorful layout and plentiful photographs.”

Kirkus Reviews, 12/21/17

“Photographs, sidebars, a timeline, and other resources create a lively flow of information as MacLeod blends facts with anecdotes to create an entertaining and accessible dive into feline history.”

Publishers Weekly, 02/12/18