Dark's Tale by Deborah Grabien

Grabien, Deborah, Dark’s Tale, Egmont Books, 2010. Pgs. 300. Language: G, Violence: PG, Sexual Content: G

After his family’s child turns out to be allergic to Dark, they dump him off in the park. Dark quickly befriends Rattail, a raccoon, and Casablanca, another stray, who teach her about the natural order in the park. This includes humans, whom the animals label as Cores (homeless park residents), Warms (friendly), Dangers (not to be trusted), and Blanks (oblivious to the animals and one another). Uneasy around humans after being abandoned, he has a hard time trusting any humans. When she meets she encounters the Warms, Jack, Angie, and Jessie, she can’t help but start liking them. When coyotes invade the park and threaten her new home and friends, she realizes that her and the other cats are going to have to adapt and fight the greatest fight of their life to not only save themselves, but the Warms as well. Can they overcome their distrust of humans and each other long enough to save their park?

A fun adventure for cat lovers. The plot is well-developed. The characters are lovable and well-developed. Readers who like fantasy, cats, adventure, and survival stories will enjoy reading this book. EL (4-6). ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.