The Cat and the King

by Nick Sharratt

Interest age: 6 to 7
Reading age: 8 to 9

Published by Scholastic, 2016

  • Funny

About this book

When the royal castle is destroyed in an Unfortunate Incident involving a fire-breathing dragon, the King and his best friend, the cat, are forced to find an alternative home.

As they settle in to their new semi-detached house in a very ordinary street, the King discovers that the things he is really good at (like walking on red carpets and balancing a heavy crown on his head) aren't very useful anymore and he has to learn a whole new set of skills like opening the biscuit tin and standing in a queue. Then one day the pesky dragon returns.

Nick Sharratt's debut novel is an entertaining mix of familiar experience and fairy-tale fantasy underscored by a thread of anarchic humour. This is a beautifully-presented storybook, in which the fabulous illustrations are as integral as the text, and will appeal to adults as well as independent readers.

About the author

Nick Sharratt has created illustrations for over two hundred and fifty books during his illustrious career. He has produced over sixty of his own titles, including much-loved favourites Ketchup on Your Cornflakes and Shark in the Park. He has worked with celebrated writers including Julia Donaldson, Kes Gray and Michael Rosen and is well known for his collaboration with Jacqueline Wilson, for whom he’s illustrated more than fifty novels.

He has been the official illustrator for World Book Day and together with Katrina Charman, was awarded the 2021 BookTrust Storytime Prize, he was also the BookTrust Writer-Illustrator in Residence for 2022-23.

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