Miranda the Great [Paperback]

Eleanor Estes (Author), Edward Ardizzone (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

When barbarians invade Rome, Miranda the cat and her daughter Punka must find a safe place to hide from the chaos. They make their way through the burning city, collecting motherless kittens as they go. At last they reach the Colosseum--but even there, danger lurks!

How these fortunate felines survive to become the noble ancestors of the cats of modern Rome is all due to the cleverness of the cat they come to call Miranda the Great, Queen of the Colosseum!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The author's rare ability to recognize details most appealing to children and weave them
through her storytelling has never been more evident. Suspense and humor are here in
abundance to delight grown-ups as well as children."--The Horn Book

About the Author

ELEANOR ESTES (1906-1988), a children's librarian for many years, launched her writing career with the publication of The Moffats in 1941.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; 1-Simul edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152054111
• ISBN-13: 978-0152054113
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,175,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Ancient Civilizations

More About the Author

ELEANOR ESTES (1906-1988), a children's librarian for many years, launched her writing career with the publication of The Moffats in 1941. Two of her books about the Moffats are Newbery Honor books, as is The Hundred Dresses. She won the Newbery Medal for Ginger Pye in 1952.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 'Miranda the Great' Will Leave You Purring In Delight..., January 11, 2006

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miranda the Great (Paperback)

Miranda is accustomed to the good life. She and her favorite daughter, Punka, have always been well taken care of by a wonderful family, in one of Rome's most beautiful villas. But then tragedy strikes, and Miranda and Punka are separated from their family, and must try and survive on the grisly Roman streets. Alone. But as the two cats make their way through the city, they find that many Romans have had to flee, and left their beloved cats behind in the midst of it all. Now, with the help of Punka, Miranda has begun collecting all of the motherless kittens she finds, as they make their way to the Colosseum. But, once there, before Miranda is able to call herself Miranda the Great, Queen of the Colosseum, she must rid the area of a hungry lion, nasty cats, and angry dogs.

Eleanor Estes is one of the great children's authors of the mid-1900's, penning such classics as GINGER PYE and THE HUNDRED DRESSES. MIRANDA THE GREAT is no exception. Filled with a humorous, heartwarming story regarding homeless animals, and what the life of a street cat is like, MIRANDA THE GREAT will win over readers both young and old. As will the lovely illustrations found on almost every page, by Edward Ardizzone. Cat lovers come forth; MIRANDA THE GREAT will leave you purring in delight.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper