KITTEN KABOODLE started with an idea about a girl who could talk to cats. I have always thought that cats would have a lot to say if we could only understand them. My own cats are very good at giving me "looks" as if to say, "You really are very stupid, you know!"

When I was young I loved a book called CARBONEL by Barbara Sleigh. Carbonel was a witch's cat who could talk to whoever was holding a witch's broom. At the time I was desperate to call my own cat Carbonel, but Mum (probably quite rightly) said she would feel silly calling "Carbon-e-elll!" out of the door when it was time for dinner!

Kaboodle can only talk to Bertie - or rather, it is only Bertie who seems to be able to understand him. Kaboodle says that all humans could talk to cats if they stopped rushing around so much. "You humans are so unobservant," he tells Bertie. Kaboodle doesn't think much of humans in general!

Bertie and he have a special friendship, though. And it is Kaboodle who helps Bertie out of her loneliness - and her dad out of his grumpiness! To find out more, read on . . .