“Some adventures are so small, you hardly know they’ve happened. Like the adventure of sharpening your pencil to a perfect point, just before it breaks and that little bit gets stuck in the sharpener. That, I think we will all agree, is a very small adventure. Other adventures are so big and last so long, you might forget they are adventures at all—like growing up. And some adventures are just the right size—fitting into a single, magical day. And these are the sort of adventures Miss Petitfour had.”
Meet the utterly irresistible Miss Petitfour and her sixteen cats - Minky, Misty, Taffy, Purrsia, Pirate, Mustard, Moutarde, Hemdela, Earring, Grigorovitch, Clasby, Captain Captain, Captain Catkin, Captain Clothespin, Your Shyness and Sizzles - in five captivating stories of gentle adventure.
Praise for The Adventures of Miss Petitfour:
"Michaels' poetic prowess is on display in these collected stories about an eccentric woman and her 16 cats. The text rolls and rumbles along with a rhythm so smooth that it could double as a series of lullabies for a restless infant, and the whole thing is enhanced by lively pastel illustrations provided by Emma Block." - National Post
"Michaels keeps the action light and lively, displaying a real knack for language play - she's not Toronto's poet laureate for nothing … Emma Block's vibrant, stylized illustrations are a true co-star, giving the book a distinctly whimsical look.” - Toronto Star
"The Adventures of Miss Petitfour is a sweet and witty little book, great for kids who already love tea parties, arts and crafts and cats, and those who have yet to discover life's smaller pleasures." - Canadian Children’s Book News
"This enchanting little book encourages a slower pace, allowing the reader to simply breathe and take a quiet introspective journey into the small pleasures sure to delight an imaginative child." - CM Magazine
"... a collection of five brilliant short stories involving the funny Miss Petitfour." - The Guardian
"The Adventures of Miss Petitfour ... is full of whimsy and just the right amount of sweetness." - Sydney Morning Herald
"... a collection of five stories decorated with delicious language and fanciful illustrations that reveal the hand of a master chef of words." - Quill & Quire
Junior Reviewers:
"I liked all the adventures, especially the one about a penny black stamp ... I would love to see more adventures of Miss Petitfour. I found this book quite funny and I would give [it] 10 out of 10." - Evie, age 8
"I loved this book because I love cats and there were so many wonderful twists and exciting turns that I didn't want to put it down. The writing is funny and quirky with great descriptions of the scenery and characters - who were all kind and lovable." - Sidney, age 11
"I adored this book. It contained all my favourite things: cats, flying (I'd love to be able to fly!) and baking. It is one of the best books I have ever read! A definite read for anyone aged 7 plus with a love of baking and cats like me." - Mia, age 9
"[Miss Petitfour] just has to pick up her favourite tablecloth and she flies off with her cats on amazing adventures! Wow! ... Every story inside the book is different and so you'll never get bored! ... I really liked this book and think it is brilliant." - Opal, age 8
"These adventurous tales are purr-fect for children who like cats and richly descriptive story-telling. I particularly enjoyed reading about Miss Petitfour's numerous cats and their unique personalities. My favourite tale was "Miss Petitfour and the Penny Black" in which poor Pirate accidentally causes trouble. I also enjoyed looking at the colourful illustrations." - Constance, age 8
"When I read this book it sometimes made me laugh, cry, feel excited and very hungry. It was like I was experiencing all the adventures myself ... This story will truly warm your heart. I really enjoy dystopian novels but when I read this book I realized that maybe I am a fan of adventure books too. I loved the fact that her cats were all unique to one another and the introduction of the cats made you understand each and every one's personality. I would recommend this book to everyone who loves adventures, cats and food - especially cakes!" - Mangomix
"[A] funny book full of cat-filled adventures ... My favourite story was when the man got covered in sticky confetti and Taffy, a gold-coloured cat, sat on his head and looked like a crown!" - Beth
"The book describes the exciting adventures of Miss Petitfour and her favourite cats, showing her love of baking, making, dancing and especially having fun flying ... She meets many characters on her journey, but my favourite is Mrs. Collarwaller because she has a cool ice cream machine!" - Habibah, age 7
"If you love cats, or adventures, then this book is for you ... Miss Petitfour was such a fun character. I loved the names of all the different cats, and they all had real personality. We also get to meet all the fun people in the village, like Miss Petitfour's friend Pleasant Patel. My favourite story of this book was the last one, because I thought it was funny and sweet." - Annabelle, age 7
"I would love to read some more of Miss Petitfour's adventures if I could do so. I think that it would make a good present for girls aged 8 and over ... My favourite part of the book was when Miss Petitfour went to the jumble sale with her apron attached to the coat hangers because the description made it even funnier ... I liked the illustrations because they fitted with all the descriptions very well." - Anya, age 8
"This book is very quirky and different from anything else ... There were about five [everyday] adventures, like one in a jumble sale, but they are different because Miss Petitfour is. I liked this book and I loved the colourful pictures. The language is quite difficult, but the author explains the words she uses. I would recommend it to good readers." - Rachel, age 8
"I really liked this book because it is full of interesting stories about Miss Petitfour and her cats. Each cat has a name like Hemdela or Your Shyness and they go on adventures using her tablecloth ... My mum and I read the stories together which made them fun. We really liked the pictures because they were colourful." - Darcy, age 7
"A lovely relaxing read with brilliant digressions. The Adventures of Miss Petitfour is poetic and well written. They story-lines are interesting and the repeating vocabulary keeps you engaged ... The book is brilliant beacuse the cats make the story so much more gentle so more people read it. I like the tender short adventures which are described in a detailed way. I also enjoyed reading about the determined Miss Petitfour and her cats with their independent personalities." - Emily, age 9