The Sign of the Cat

By Lynne Jonell

A boy's secret gift to talk to cats leads to danger and adventure.

4.8/7 Bookroo expert·4.0/5 Goodreads · 276 ratings

384 pages

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Bookroo's summary

Duncan can talk to cats, a secret his mother wants him to hide. But when he excels academically, unwanted attention follows. As he navigates a world of talking cats, missing royalty, and hidden identities, Duncan must uncover who truly has his best interests at heart. Will his unique gift be his downfall or his salvation?

From the publisher

Talking cats, a missing princess, swordfights with villains, and secret identities combine in this epic tale of bravery and self-discovery on the high seas.

Duncan is very smart. He also has a most unusual gift. So why does his mother encourage him to be perfectly average and insist he only get mediocre grades? His special talent is the ability to talk to cats―but Duncan longs more than anything for academic success. When Duncan rebels and gets a perfect test score, people start taking notice of him. And it turns out that some of those people may not have the best intentions . . . not by a long shot.

From the same author of The Secret of Zoom and Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, Lynne Jonell delivers another magical and unforgettable adventure in The Sign of the Cat.

At a glance

Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: 770L

Themes & topics

Books about cats Books about parents Books about adventure and adventurers Books about mother-son relationships Books about identity

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Violence

A large portion of this book includes animal abuse (kittens, specifically). The villains kill and eat kittens. There is mention of a grinder.

Potty Humor

This book mentions kittens who aren't potty trained that let down "golden rain" on men.

What readers & critics say