Catwings (4 Volume Set), by Ursula K. Le Guin, illus. by S.D. Schindler. 192 pp. Orchard Books. $15.99. (The four-book series includes: Catwings, Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and Jane on Her Own.)
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Imagine the avian outrage when four tabby kittens arrive in the forest flying under their own wing power. Their mother, Mrs. Jane Tabby, guesses her children’s unique genetic adaptation occurred because they were meant to fly away from the mean streets where they were born. Like so many children’s stories, the adventures really start when Mrs. Tabby sends her children away, in this case explaining she “doesn’t want them underfoot” when she marries Mr. Tom Jones.
Fans of Ursula K. Le Guin’s books for older readers, like her classic Earthsea Cycle, might be surprised she’s written these four fantasy tales for such young readers. But her spare, strong language and utterly believable fantasy makes this entertaining enough to be read aloud over and over. All in this series are also excellent transition books for animal lovers starting to read on their own.
At the heart of all four of these books is the quite mature message that parents will have experienced but even young children seem to understand: being different can be difficult and even dangerous. In lesser books, the easy — and unrealistic — ending would have been that the larger world comes to accept and embrace the catwings on their own terms. Le Guin respects her readers too much for this, instead providing each tale with a satisfying, true-to-life conclusion.
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Although available in hardback, the four-paperback set is the best buy. The books can stand alone, but are much better read together. (My daughter and I read one at each bedtime, then started over again. And again...)
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