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Description
One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.
Trim likes being part of the ship's crew. The captain says that it's like a family or a team. Everyone has a job they do alone and they help each other too. When there's a big problem, then it's all hands on deck. But what is Trim's job? He really wants to help, but everyone is very busy. Penny is helping the sailors mop the deck, so Trim decides to mop too.
Swish! Swish! SWISH!
Trim gets water everywhere. Jack is helping the captain steer the ship, so Trim thinks he can steer too.
Whee! Whee! WHEE!
But there's not enough room on the wheel. Doesn't anyone have a job for a small kitten who really wants to help?
Cartoon-style line and color illustrations faithfully depict a 19th-century ship and a cat's hilarious antics. . . More seaworthy fun with this endearing feline hero.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-3--In her first series of early chapter books, Hopkinson gives children a taste of adventure as well as life on the high seas through the character of Trim--a lively black cat who has joined a ship's crew. The five-chapter story is based on the real adventures of British Captain Flinders, who sailed with his beloved cat while charting the coast of Australia from 1801 to 1803. As in previous titles, Hopkinson shows how everyone on a ship, from the human crew to the animal passengers, must work together. This time, Trim wants to be helpful but ends up being the opposite. He gets water everywhere while trying to help mop the deck, and he knocks over the plant specimen that the ship's artist is drawing. Finally, Trim does help by yowling when he notices water leaking from the ship's cask. The leak is fixed, and the crew's supply of freshwater is assured. Trim is content knowing he solved a "really big problem." The story's charm is enhanced by colorful illustrations that capture Trim's playful spirit and period details, from the captain's hat to the ship's rigging. VERDICT Hopkinson reminds readers that setting out on an adventure with good friends is the best way to experience our wondrous world. Recommended for chapter book collections.--Sally James
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Deborah Hopkinson is the award-winning author of more than seventy nonfiction and historical fiction books. Her writing and programs help bring history and research to life for readers. She holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts and the University of Hawaii and lives in Oregon with her family and a menagerie of pets.
