Thursday, July 27, 2023

Review: "Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World" by Igor Shnayder

Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World


Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World by Igor Shnayder
Published July 2023


In the tradition of the classic fairy tales many of us grew up with, <i>Mur, the Kitty-Knight Adventures in the Fairy-Tale Animal World</i> presents a young kitten who flouts convention and grows up to be a valiant and virtuous knight.

I read this entirely for the cover, and the art does not disappoint—saturated and whimsical, with no shortage of animals in armor or fancy dress. (I'm particularly keen on the fox queen in her ballgown.) I'm guessing that it's some sort of digital illustration, but art is not my forte, so don't take my word for it!

In each chapter, Mur the kitty-knight tackles another problem and learns a few lessons. The chapters are short (a page or two each) and often closer to a summary of how Mur solved the problem than a fully fleshed-out story; each chapter, if extended, could be its own picture book. I think this would be best for adults who are happy to extend the story when reading to their children—to pick a chapter or two at a time and embellish wildly, or get the children to speculate. Who might have stolen the royal globe, and why? What might it be like for villagers to be afraid of the dragon? What could the riddle on the mysterious island be? Could be a fun read for kids with vivid imaginations—and, of course, a love of cats.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

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