Here comes the delightful feline Catvinkle and her dalmatian friend Ula for a new adventure, one in which they have to defend their new sheep friends who have been accused of eating the tulips of Amsterdam.

The animal community is front and centre in these junior fiction novels with humans on the periphery, yet the intrigues, petty jealousies and connivances that we experience are also rife among Catwinkle’s cohort. Nasty Twinkiepaws is causing more trouble but learns that she can’t beat friendship and loyalty.

This is a quirky tale that has a nice take on empathy wrapped up with a capricious wit which made me laugh out loud. Great to read aloud for ages 4–6 and read alone ages 7–9.

Alexa Dretzke is the assistant manager and children’s book buyer at Readings Hawthorn.