Love the pictures, of course. Love the vocabulary - children might choose to learn some new words (but understanding of most can be gleaned from context or is unnecessary). Brief visit to an enchanting world - unfortunately not a fully satisfying visit, however... so only 3 stars not 4.

I think children will ponder, maybe even want to discuss, a few questions. Why doesn't the sorcerer just get a cat in the first place? Did Nickon have a fun adventure that night, or should we feel sorry for him? Is he an apprentice to an idiot? How does a centaur's digestive system work? Etc. ( )

I thought this was a fairly entertaining tale. It was about a messanger boy who has been sent out for basilisk blood by his master. The master wants to turn his porcelain cat to life to chase the rats. The boy sets out to the witch for the blood. The witch sends him for shellfish as payment for the blood. The underwater maiden sends him for mushrooms for the shellfish. The centaur sends him for fruit for the mushrooms. He finally gets everything, returns to his master, who turns the porcelain cat to life. The cat jumps down off the counter and shatters into pieces. It was entertaining and I think the ending is kind of funny and surprising. ( )