Oliver the cat is a timid little thing, who rarely ventures from his home in the Foresters’ Arms. Then his life changes dramatically when a fire breaks out in the pub kitchen and he is left homeless and afraid. But, with the kindness of the humans around him, he soon learns to trust again. And, in his own special way, he helps to heal those around him. However, it isn’t until he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend that he realizes this village needs a Christmas miracle...
- Books
- Young Adult Fiction
- Oliver: The Cat Who Saved Christmas
Oliver: The Cat Who Saved Christmas
FeaturedAuthor(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
October 18, 2016
ISBN
9781250108470
Editor reviews
1 reviews
Paw Warming Christmas Tale
Overall rating
3.7
Plot
4.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
3.0
Oliver loses his home when the pub where he lives with his owner George burns down. During the fire, Oliver runs away, and ends up being taken in from the November chill by young Dan, who lives a struggling existence with Nicky. The two work in London but live in the small village where the costs are lower, but still can barely put food on the table. Caring for Oliver would be a stretch, but neighbor Sarah and her little girls step in to help feed the animal while George is staying with his sister in London. The fire has not only taken out the pub, but a good portion of the village hall where many activities occur. The biggest problem is the day nursery, which will have to close. Nicky, who is newly pregnant, works in a nursery but the salary in the village would be too small. Oliver manages to manipulate the lives of those around him in order to be "the cat who saved Christmas", and manages to not only improve Nicky and Dan's lives, but those of two grouchy pensioners, a sick girl, and most of the village, just in time for the holidays.
Good Points
Fans of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small or similar animal memoirs will find this to be a pleasant and diverting holiday read. There are not great surprises in what Oliver manages to do, but that's part of the charm of the book. Everyone's life gets better in time for Christmas instead of being besieged by trauma.
This is a good story for all ages, although it does address Nicky's impending unplanned and unwed motherhood as well as dancing around the amorous career of local cat Tabby, who has managed to get another cat, Suki, pregnant. There's nothing inappropriate discussed, but it does come up.
Oliver: The Cat Who Saved Christmas is an charming introduction to classic British village tales and would make a great gift for fans of this genre as well as people who prefer cats.
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