The Christmas Day Kitten [Hardcover]

James Herriot (Author), Ruth Brown (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

The famous veterinarian/writer shares the true story of how an independent-minded stray cat gives a woman and her three Basset hounds a Christmas present.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The noted veterinarian and storyteller recalls a Christmas morning when he was summoned to the home of Mrs. Pickering. Usually he called on her Basset hounds, but this time the woman's concern was for a mother cat that was sick. The cat, a stray that occasionally hung around at Mrs. Pickering's, had brought her kitten with her and then died. Mrs. Pickering keeps the kitten, which grows up to become a "retriever-cat," fetching balls and setting them at his mistress's feet. Portraits of Mrs. Pickering and her animals, elegantly executed by Brown, round out this story about the quiet joy of the miracle of birth. It portrays a holiday spirit usually associated with the past: that the humblest of pleasures are the ones most keenly felt. (All ages
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K-4 A well illustrated, but very slight story from James Herriot's seemingly unending supply of anecdotes as a country vet. This is part of a series including Moses the Kitten (1984) and Only One Woof (1985, both St. Martin's Pr) . The paintings are rich in the color and texture of the Yorkshire setting, but they cannot offset the fact that there isn't much to the story itself. It concerns a rather mysterious and independent cat who frequently visits Mrs. Pickering's house. One Christmas before the cat dies, she brings her small kitten to Mrs. Pickering for care. There amongst Mrs. Pickering's two sedate basset hounds, she thrives. Later Mrs. Pickering delights in showing Herriot an amazing feat: unlike the hounds, the kitten retrieves a ball tossed by her. To Mrs. Pickering it is the best Christmas present she has ever had. It's unlikely that children will be that impressed.Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Lib .
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Press; 2nd edition (1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031213407X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312134075
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming Story, December 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Christmas Day Kitten (Paperback)

Not having been familiar with the work of James Herriot before this book, I was happily surprised when I read this to my little cat-loving daughter this christmas season. This is a touching story which brought us both to tears, but gave a joyful smile as we reached the end of the story. Truly a story to be shared with every child at christmas!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Irresistable!, November 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Christmas Day Kitten (Paperback)

This picture book, although written for children, can be enjoyed by people of all ages, especially cat lovers! James Harriot has a style of story-telling that draws you in and doesn't let you go until you've finished the story. This story is just a small sampling of the many wonderful vet stories that Harriot has to tell.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for a long, hard day., December 21, 2000

By 

Tracy Tee (AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Christmas Day Kitten (Library Binding)

This book is the epitamy of heartwarming. After all the sad, depressing things that happen in today's world, this book (and all of James Herriot's stories) makes you feel a lot better. Perfect for kids, this book will warm the souls of everyone.

Even though I haven't read this book since I was younger, I remember it as having a perfect happy ending. Even if you don't buy it, you should at least go to the library and check it out. You might like it enough to buy it anyways :)