A trio of kittens are dumped along the highway from a truck and miraculously make their way across the highway to the forest where the highway cats live. The highway cats are a tough bunch, all stray, long-abandoned and eking out a feral existance. Helpless little kittens go against their tough-it-out-for-yourself mentality. But something about these mystical kittens breaks down the walls and renews tenderness and hope in the hardened cats, which fortifies them for a showdown with a road construction crew about to tear down the forest. Kids will be caught up by the adventure and magic of this feline fantasy; more logical and concrete readers will be peeved not to know Who are these kittens? Where did they come from? Why are they magical? How did they stop the bulldozers? ( )

Highway Cats was not what I thought it was going to be about. It through me for a loop. It is about a crowd of tough cats who encounter three "miracle' kittens. These kittens soften the bunch. I enjoyed it but I do not think that young readers would understand it. It is more suitable for 3rd to 7th graders. ( )

I'm not sure how this reads to children, so I can't qualify this along those lines, but this was a delightful read for me. My own cat was snuggled against me at the time, and I don't mind telling you it made me hug him a few times. This was the first paper book I've read this year, so we got a silent chuckle when I tried to turn a page by poking it a few times. "You dunderhead, Maggie! This isn't the Kindle!" I loved the tough-but-secretly-loving-and-adorable Kahlia Koo and Shredder, the perpetually cynical Murray the Claw, and the ignorance of the stupid humans involved in this story. The mayor made me think of our mayor. I wanted to see him lose and be emotionally castrated in this story, but then, I am an old woman and not part of the usual reading audience Ms. Lisle would be targeting.

117, not 112 pages, and it took probably 2 hours for me to read. ( )

Cat fanicers will especially enjoy this short, pleasant tale. ( )

The highway cats are a mean, scraggly, tough bunch. You know these cats are bad when they respond to a box of kittens being left beside the highway by betting on which ones, if any, will make it across the busy roadway without being splatted by a truck. Strangely enough, all three kittens do make it across the road and a rumor starts that they’re miracle kittens. Soon, even stranger things are happening. Under the kittens’ influence, the highway cats actually start cleaning up themselves and their language. Khalia Koo, their leader and the toughest of them all, appears to be softening to the kittens. Old Shredder sees something special in the kittens and something like a soft glow surrounding them. Could the kittens actually be magic? Or even a real live miracle? The highway cats could certainly use a miracle because the mayor has his eye on their little scrap of land. But what can three little kittens and a ragtag band of cats do against the might and power of city hall, not to mention construction workers and their huge machines? Turns out, there may be more power in these three little kittens than the highway cats ever imagined, but will it be enough to save the day? Read and find out!

This was a strange little book, but entertaining enough. I'm particularly fond of one of my book club kid's response to it: "Not as bad as I thought it was going to be."

May 2010 Cover 2 Cover selection. ( )