Book Review of Finnegan the Circus Cat
The Children’s Book Review

Written by Mary T. Wagner

Ages 7-9 | 155 Pages

Publisher: Waterhorse Press | ISBN-13: 978-1541343887

What to expect: Animals, Mice, Cats, Adventure, Circus, Family

It’s quiet at the old Farnsworth Circus Museum ever since old man Farnsworth passed away. Max and Leroy, mice cousins and descendants of the first great Farnsworth circus mice, have enjoyed the quiet life for a while. They spend their days lazing in the barn with all the old circus equipment and foraging through the old pantry for stale leftover crackers.

When a minivan pulls up out of the blue, everything changes. Two humans and their two kids—plus a funny-looking baby human—come to the house and open the door! Max and Leroy observe the new family, worried they may have to leave. And when the little girl brings home a sweet little kitten, they think their time must be up! But with quick thinking, they tell the kitten that they are his magical fairy godmothers.

They quickly become friends and teach the kitten all about life and the circus. With adventurous romps on the trapeze and near misses with local grumpy cats, Finnigan, the cat, learns and grows thanks to the help of Max and Leroy—the unlikeliest friends a cat could have. And when Leroy ends up in life-threatening peril, it’s Finnigan to the rescue, saving his mice fairy godmothers and sealing their bond forever!

FINNIGAN THE CIRCUS CAT is a sweet adventure, perfect for kids who love animals. Told from the point of view of Max, the circus mouse, the story is a great nightly bedtime read. Full of adventure but cozy enough to leave readers feeling sweetly satisfied after each chapter, author Mary T. Wagner’s novel is an excellent choice for young readers. Max and Leroy are a hilarious duo who also teach readers a lot about the meaning of friendship and family, both relational and found. Finnigan is growing and learning, just like children, and gets into a few scrapes he needs to work through. Plus, the story is just plain fun!

Well written and with sweet illustrations at the start of each chapter, FINNIGAN THE CIRCUS CAT is sure to please cat and mouse lovers alike!

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About the Author

Mary T. Wagner is a former newspaper and magazine journalist who changed careers at the age of forty by going to law school and becoming a criminal prosecutor. However, she never could step away from the written word entirely, and inevitably the joy of writing drew her back to the keyboard.

A Chicago native, this mother of four and grandmother now lives in “coastal Wisconsin,” where she draws much inspiration for writing from the nearby shore of Lake Michigan.

Wagner’s ongoing legal experience has ranged from handling speeding tickets to arguing and winning several cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court…sometimes in the same week! Wagner has won multiple awards for her inspiring and empowering essay collections, which include “When the Shoe Fits” and “Running with Stilettos.” She is also a “team blogger” for Growing Bolder.

Wagner’s life experiences include the defining watershed of motherhood, and stints as a Girl Scout troop leader, truck stop waitress, office temp, judicial clerk, and radio talk show host. She counts both wearing spike heels and learning to use a cordless drill and chainsaw among her “late blooming” discoveries, and would be hard-pressed to surrender either her favorite stilettos or her power tools.

Finnegan the Circus Cat was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Finnegan the Circus Cat by following our reviews and articles tagged with Animal Friends, Cats, Chapter Books, Circus, and Mice.