The Little Lost Kitten [sample]

First published in 2023 in Great Britain by Barrington Stoke Ltd 18 Walker Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7LP www.barringtonstoke.co.uk Text © 2023 Holly Webb Illustrations © 2023 Abigail Hookham The moral right of Holly Webb and Abigail Hookham to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in any part in any form without the written permission of the publisher A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library upon request ISBN: 978-1-80090-144-5 Printed by Hussar Books, Poland This book is in a super‑readable format for young readers beginning their independent reading journey.

For Isabel

Contents

1

The Mist Kitten

1

2

In the Garden

12

3

A Hungry Kitten

22

4 Treats

31

5 Misty

42

6 Missing!

53

7

In the Night

61

8 Misty at Last

70

Chapter 1

The Mist Kitten

Lucy first saw the kitten on the way home with Dad after swimming.

It was a dark day, and foggy, and it was nearly tea‑time.

3

Everything looked grey and misty, and the kitten was grey too. She stepped out of the mist like a little ghost and made Lucy jump.

The kitten looked at her with bright green eyes. Lucy’s heart seemed to thump, and she didn’t know whether to smile or sigh.

4

She knew how the kitten’s fur would feel to stroke. The way the kitten would purr and rub softly around her legs. It would stand up on its back paws and scrabble at Lucy’s knees and mew, asking to be picked up. Just like Patch.

*

5

Lucy missed Patch so much. It was a month since they’d had to take him to the vet and say goodbye.

She knew that it had been the right thing to do. Dad had told her how Patch was so ill that he always felt tired.

6

Too tired to play, too tired even to purr. He didn’t want to eat, and it hurt him to move around. All he wanted to do was curl up in his soft cat igloo and sleep, because that didn’t hurt.

It was time to let him go. But it had still made Lucy so sad.

She didn’t know who missed Patch more – her or Dad?

8

It was so odd without Patch around.

Yesterday, Lucy had got out the packet of cat treats and shaken it, but Patch didn’t come skidding up to her feet the way he always did.

Then she’d remembered that Patch wasn’t there any more. She put the packet away and went to sit at the top of the stairs and cry.

*

10

Back on the street, the grey kitten went on looking at Lucy as if it didn’t know what to do next. It took a step closer.

It had round green eyes, just like Patch.

Perhaps it is Patch! Lucy thought, just for a second. Perhaps he knows how sad we are, and he’s come back!

11

“Dad, look!” she whispered.

“What is it?”

But when Lucy turned back to point out the kitten, nothing was there but mist.