A Cat Called Waverley

Born in a park, little kitten, Waverley, makes lots of friends who he visits every day, but his best friend is Donald. One day, Donald goes far, far away, leaving Waverley behind. Both of their lives change and Waverley waits patiently at the station for Donald to return- Platform 2 of Waverley Station which is how he gets his name. As time passes, other humans are kind to Waverley, but he misses his friend more and more until one day, the two are reunited at last.

In ‘A Cat Called Waverley’, Debi Gliori has created a truly special and beautiful picture book. Set in Edinburgh, the book is about a real homeless war veteran, Darren Greenfield, who used to sit on the pavement at the top of Waverley Steps. Perfect for starting discussions about homelessness and encouraging empathy for homeless people, Darren’s story has been carefully woven into a fictional tale which can be shared with children of all ages.

As the tale of Waverley faithfully waiting for his missing human is told (reminiscent of that other faithful Edinburgh animal, Greyfriar’s Bobby), the illustrations show the reader what is happening to Darren as he faces the horrors of war. There is also a stark contrast drawn between the attention and care given to Waverley by passers-by and the lone figure of Darren, ignored by those busy with their lives.

The illustrations are gorgeous. Waverley’s ginger fur is echoed by Donald’s auburn hair, vividly standing out against the black and white drawings, reinforcing the strong link between the two- and emphasising how the warmth and love of Waverley reaches through the darkness to Darren. It is beautiful!

Powerful and poignant, ‘A Cat Called Waverley’ is one not to miss.

A Cat Called Waverley Debi Gliori

Otter-Barry Books ISBN: 978-1913074630