To Be A Cat: Reviews

“This is a clawed masterpiece . . . A book about being comfortable in your own skin rather than someone else’s fur” Philip Ardagh, Guardian

“A darkly comic and richly rewarding story . . . Haig’s book shines with originality – in the clever plot and the wit – and has a strong moral core” Martin Chilton, Telegraph 

“I loved To Be A Cat. It’s very funny and surprising and somehow the basic concept, which is certainly an unusual one, works brilliantly. I believed every moment . . . Miss Whipmire is a villain from hell but the sense of frustration that Barney has in his dealings with her are quite moving actually; it reminds me of many of the frustrations of childhood. And I absolutely love child protagonists who READ!” John Boyne 

“Here is the black comedy that made Matt Haig’s Shadow Forest so irresistible” Amanda Craig, The Times 

“A terrific yarn with just the right mix of humour, surprise and page-turning peril” Independent on Sunday 

To Be a Cat will certainly appeal to readers of his earlier book, Shadow Forest, which won the Smarties Gold Award, and the book will be publicised by way of a national tour by the author. The Bookseller

Paul Gallico wrote a plangent novel along similar lines in Jeannie, but here instead is the black comedy that made Matt Haig’s Shadow Forest so irresistable. The Times

Magic and grim realism meet in this sharply comic tale of wish fulfilment and the inherent untrustowrthiness of felines . . . there are definite echoes of Roald Dahl throughout. Teach Primary

A great read, exciting with many unexpected twists and turns . . . It is a clever, funny and scary story and will appeal to Roald Dahl fans ready for a more sophisticated read. The School Librarian

Clever use of Norwegian folklore skillfully weaves humour and sadness, reality and fanstasy, into a tense, page-turning tale, which keeps readers guessing by the many unexpected twists and turns in the plot. Martin Kromer, Carousel 

There’s probably very little that children with a good sense of humour or well-developed imagination won’t find entertaining. Beth Morrissey, Inis

A fascinating and magical tale. This is an outstanding piece of literature. Yusuf Hassan, The Times

Enough twists to keep children gripped. Daily Telegraph 

A knowing and inventive yarn. Junior Education