More tales of warm, hilarious adventures of English village life—a must for cat lovers Life is never a bed of roses for the Toveys and their beloved Siamese cats Solomon and Sheba. For one thing they have Annabel the donkey to contend with and the thorny matter of her troublesome stomach after she overindulges on the apple harvest. More calamities ensue when Doreen and her husband Charles return from a riding course in the Scottish wilderness and Solomon thinks they have brought the Loch Ness Monster home with them. Then Sheba baffles her owners with a series of mysterious disappearances. What with Annabel adopting a cat of her own, Charles taking up the piano, Father Adams' flying hat, and Solomon's determined efforts to catch a hare, there are endless adventures in store in this loveable, witty classic.

You would have thought that having two curious Siamese cats and a tortoise with wanderlust was enough. Not so for Doreen and her husband Charles, who decide to take on a baby donkey to keep the nettles under control in the orchard. When Annabel clip-clops into their lives they realise that, from the ear-splitting nocturnal howling to the numerous escape attempts, living with a donkey won't be plain sailing. Annabel eats everything apart from the nettles, but eventually becomes a much-loved family member and particularly close to Solomon, the Siamese cat, who sleeps in her bed. Further dramas ensue when Henry, the jennet, is introduced as a companion to Annabel and love blossoms.

The Toveys attempt to settle down to quiet life in the country. Unfortunately, their tyrannical Siamese cats have other ideas. From causing an uproar on the BBC to claiming to have been kidnapped, Sheba and Solomon's outrageous behavior leaves the Toveys at their wits' end. Meanwhile, Doreen has to contend with her husband's disastrous skills as a handyman, a squirrel that chews the buttons off all his suits, and a runaway tortoise named Tarzan. Both human and animal characters come to life on the page in these witty stories, including Sidney, the problem-prone gardener, and Blondin, the brandy-swilling squirrel. In a new edition, with 20 delightful black and white illustrations, Tovey's tales are ready for rediscovery by a new generation of cat lovers. A truly enjoyable read for anyone who's ever been owned by a cat, it will tickle your funny bone and tug on your heartstrings.

Rediscover this lovable classic in a delightful new illustrated edition of these warm and witty cat tales, first published over forty years ago. Animal lovers Doreen Tovey and her husband Charles acquire their first Siamese kitten to rid themselves of an invasion of mice, although they worry about the cat attacking the birds. But Sugieh is not just any cat. She's an iron hand in a delicate, blue-pointed glove; an actress, a prima donna, an empress of cats, and she quickly establishes herself as queen of the house. Thus enslaved, the Toveys try to minimize the chaos Sugieh causes on a daily basis: chewing up telegrams, tearing holes into anything made out of wool, and screaming like a banshee. However things get more complicated once Sugieh decides she's ready to become the perfect mother. Then she and her adorable kittens devote themselves to tightening their grip on the household. You'll share Doreen Tovey's enthusiasm for animals and her infectious feeling of joy toward all the creatures in her household. Surrounded by the friendly astonishment of the village characters who populate the neighborhood, like Father Adams, the local rector—the Tovey household is here again with it's deep though sorely tried love of animals and its splendid portrayal of the country scene. The affectionate illustrations by artist Dan Brown, who specializes in animals, truly capture the essence of the Siamese, helping to bring both the stories and characters to life.

How can a toddler who hates cats transform into a child whose desire for a pet was so great that she secreted mice in a bedside cabinet and dug for hours to find worms for a pet frog? I do not know, but happen it did. It all started with a humble snail which was followed in quick succession by mice, ants, frogs, rabbits, a tortoise and a cat.

A listing of 547 songs contained on 308 recordings for children, organized alphabetically under 170 subject headings. Includes a core list of forty-six recommendations.