Whilst the plot went along at a brisk pace it never really rang true - odd to say about a story of talking cats, but other animal stories manage it better. How had it happened that Toto became a Ninja and who had trained her? The latter, particularly, left lots of unanswered questions. (If not original- Mog was Judith Kerr's real cat) The story did not entirely hang together properly no explanation was ever given for the fact the cats were Italian (I know this is because O'Leary adopted cats from Italy), nor was there any elaboration of Toto's Ninja training. Certainly, the concept of a real cat being turned into a quirky character is an engaging one. My ten-year-old (co-reviewer) enjoyed it, saying it was funny and a bit different. I liked the idea behind this story based on a real cat owned by O'Leary, but I was not completely grabbed by this book. This book is aimed at seven-year olds and is a fairly easy read for a confident reader. This is a slightly wacky story penned by the presenter Dermot O'Leary, his first foray into children's literature. With Silver and other assorted animals, she takes on a dangerous mission to prevent an escaped snake from eating half the animals in London. She is no ordinary cat however, as she is a trained Ninja cat. Toto is a nearly blind cat, who lives with her brother Silver in London. Have you seen Toto's other adventures? The Incredible Cheese Heist and The Superstar Catastrophe are out now, and make perfect Christmas gifts for young readers. I really hope that children who pick it up enjoy reading the adventures of our little Italian underdog (cat).' So before I knew it I was writing about Toto and her brother Silver's nocturnal adventures around London. Like a lot of cat owners (or cat servants), we like to imagine our pets having secret lives when we're out or asleep. One of them, Toto, has been blind from birth, but we quickly realised she had ninja-like reactions. With gentle themes of friendship, inclusivity and winning in the face of adversity, this is a hilarious must-read for all animal-loving kids!ĭermot says: 'The idea for Toto first came to me when my wife and I rescued two stray cats from an olive grove in Italy. Ideal for reading aloud or for children to curl up with and read alone, the story features brilliant black and white illustrations throughout. Can they find the giant snake, before it's too late? One evening, news reaches Toto that a king cobra has escaped from London Zoo! Together with help from a very posh cat and two hungry tigers, Toto and Silver must investigate. By day, Toto and Silver seem to be ordinary cats, but by night, they love to have adventures! Toto is almost totally blind, and learned to trust her senses from a ninja cat-master who taught her back in Italy where they were born. Toto the cat and her brother Silver live footloose and fancy-free in a townhouse in London. Meet Toto: she's no ordinary cat, and she can't wait to have an adventure with you! From one of the UK's best-loved broadcasters, purrfect for fans of The Aristocats, The Secret Life of Pets and Atticus Claw Breaks the Law.

Real cat ninja