by Lisa Martin
“She’s coming about now,” Billy called out anxiously to the crowd, squinting intently at the ship.
Long seconds slipped by. The people milled about, chatting and pointing, but every cat on the wharf strained silently to see something, any sign of a familiar face on the Mary Anne. The great ship dipped majestically as it drew closer; some of the sailors were high up in the rigging pulling in the sails as others busily traversed the deck. And then, in the stillness that had gathered along the ground among the cats, Sonya heard a stirring sound. It was the long, joyful meow of a single cat, almost a howl, rising and falling. And then others to her right and left joined in, mewing cries of recognition and deep kindred spirit until it was a whole chorus of buoyant voices. Sonya felt her eyes begin to sting and cloud up.
“What is it, Bill?” she asked, her voice quavering. “I can’t see a thing.”
Billy opened his mouth and hesitated. “It’s . . . three, my dear lady,” he replied, almost in a whisper, nodding slowly, his eyes fixed on the ship. “Great cats above, it’s all three.”
Sonya’s breath caught in her throat and she blinked hard to clear her eyes.
Finally she saw them, high up in the prow of the ship, sitting tall and proud, side by side, their heads lifted in the cool breeze, one gray, one white, and one black. What she couldn’t see was a dapper little mouse, who stood boldly between the forepaws of the gray cat, talking nonstop.
As Sonya and Mildred and Billy leaned against one another to keep their knees from buckling, the great ship glided into the dockyard, unhurried, and the exultant song of the cats on the wharf rose to welcome their lost friends, found again and home at last.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We want to thank our irrepressible and indefatigable agent, Molly Friedrich, and also our editor, Elise Howard, who entered into the spirit of the endeavor with the close attention and enthusiasm every writer hopes for.
We’re also indebted to two very dear early readers, Roger Martin and John Cullen, for their patience, support, and humor throughout the long voyage to print.
Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea
By Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin
Questions for Discussion
ALGONQUIN YOUNG READERS
Questions for Discussion
1. In what ways are Anton and Cecil different from one another? In what ways are they similar?
2. On page 9, Anton says, “Right here is the best place in the world for a cat to live. Everybody says that.” Why is the harbor a good place for cats to live? Why do you think Cecil wants to leave a place that “everybody” says is so great?
3. After Anton is impressed, why does Sonya tell Cecil that Anton “may surprise” them with his bravery (page 68)?
4. During his travels, Anton meets different types of animals that he’s never seen before. How does he feel about these new creatures—like Dave the lizard, the clackers, and Hieronymus the mouse—when he first meets them? How do his attitudes change when he gets to know them? Why?
5. On page 81, Adrianna the dolphin says to Cecil, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” What does it mean to be true to yourself? Cecil is quoting from one of the most famous writers in the English language. Do you know or can you find out who it is?
6. On page 146, Gretchen refers to herself as part of the crew of pirates aboard her ship, saying, “Some things you just get used to.” Describe her relationship with the pirates. Does she trust them? How has her time on the ship changed her?
7. Cats and mice are usually enemies. Why were Anton and Hieronymus able to become such good friends? In what ways is their friendship important?
8. “Where the eye sees the eye, the lost shall be found.” Name some of the places in the story where one of the cats encounters an eye. What is the importance of the scenes in the story?
10. What do you think the future holds for the three returned cats? Will they continue their seafaring adventures, or stick to dry land?
11. The sailors think black cats are lucky. When the great whale nearly tips Cecil’s ship, the sailors believe that “the whale had been an omen, an evil spirit, a test that had been passed” (page 28). And when Anton appears on deck of the new ship, the captain says, “A cat that falls out of the sky is one we’d better make welcome” (page 167). Why are sailors so interested in signs and good luck charms?
Questions for Discussion prepared by Avery Finch
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Published by
Algonquin Young Readers
an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
P.O. Box 2225
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-2225
a division of
Workman Publishing
225 Varick Street
New York, New York 10014
© 2013 by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin.
Illustrations © 2013 by Kelly Murphy.
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-61620-312-2
