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A Tale of Three Tabbies
‘A heart-warming, survival story, – a tale of, hope humanity triumph over danger and adversity, and of winning against all the odds.’ LoveReading4Kids
‘I was on the edge of my seat towards the end … A beautiful book, wonderfully written.’ Blackheath Books & Bubbles, UK
‘Five purrs and two paws up!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodreads reviewer, Canada
‘This story stole my heart.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Goodreads reviewer, US
OCTOBER 2020 AND THE WORLD IS IN THE GRIP OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. ON THE GREEK ISLAND OF AGRION, FOREST FIRES ARE RAGING, TOURISTS ARE SCARCE, AND RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSING.
Life on the streets is tough for street cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE.
Enter young Jack, who has travelled to Agrion with his cousins as a legal bubble. Jack forms a special bond with Theo and is determined to rescue him and his sisters. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting survival story inspired by a true story. Designed for readers aged 8 to 11, this daring animal rescue mission will also appeal to animal lovers of any age.
A share of royalties will go to cat welfare charities helping the very hungry stray cats still in Greece.
MORE PRAISE FOR A TALE OF THREE TABBIES
‘Perfect for any cat lover and kids who are 8 to 12. They will inhale this book and keep re-reading it.’ NetGalley reviewer, Librarian
‘This book was absolutely fantastic.’ Librarian
‘The writing is beautifully done.’ Educator
‘A heart-warming story that holds your attention from the first until the last.’ NetGalley Reviewer
‘Wow! I just love Jane Lightbourne’s books. I was taken with her previous book, My Cat Called Red, and I have only good things to say about A Tale of Three Tabbies.’ Goodreads reviewer.
‘I was on the edge of my seat towards the end … A beautiful book, wonderfully written.’ Blackheath Books & Bubbles, UK
‘Five purrs and two paws up!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodreads reviewer, Canada
‘This story stole my heart.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Goodreads reviewer, US
OCTOBER 2020 AND THE WORLD IS IN THE GRIP OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. ON THE GREEK ISLAND OF AGRION, FOREST FIRES ARE RAGING, TOURISTS ARE SCARCE, AND RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSING.
Life on the streets is tough for street cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE.
Enter young Jack, who has travelled to Agrion with his cousins as a legal bubble. Jack forms a special bond with Theo and is determined to rescue him and his sisters. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting survival story inspired by a true story. Designed for readers aged 8 to 11, this daring animal rescue mission will also appeal to animal lovers of any age.
A share of royalties will go to cat welfare charities helping the very hungry stray cats still in Greece.
MORE PRAISE FOR A TALE OF THREE TABBIES
‘Perfect for any cat lover and kids who are 8 to 12. They will inhale this book and keep re-reading it.’ NetGalley reviewer, Librarian
‘This book was absolutely fantastic.’ Librarian
‘The writing is beautifully done.’ Educator
‘A heart-warming story that holds your attention from the first until the last.’ NetGalley Reviewer
‘Wow! I just love Jane Lightbourne’s books. I was taken with her previous book, My Cat Called Red, and I have only good things to say about A Tale of Three Tabbies.’ Goodreads reviewer.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2023
3 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lightbourne
6 books3 followersJane lives in London with her three children and two rescue cats. She has worked as a lawyer as well as writing fiction and poetry.
Jane’s first poetry collection, Bright Dust, is described by the International Review of Books as ‘Beautiful and profound but also tender and enigmatic.’ Her second collection, Light Beneath the Lids, is out now
Jane’s other titles include Loss and Hannah for adults, and for children 7 to 11 A Tale of Three Tabbies, described by LoveReading4Kids as ‘a heart-warming survival story – a tale of hope, humanity, triumph over danger and adversity, and winning against all the odds,’ and My Cat Called Red, described by Blackheath Books & Bubbles as ‘a book that really moves you & touches your heart & soul.’
Nevada Street Press was shortlisted in the Made in Greenwich category for the Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2023, awarded Best Emerging Independent Publisher 2024 (UK Enterprise Awards 2024) and Emerging Independent Publisher of the Year 2025 - UK (Business Excellence Awards).
Jane’s first poetry collection, Bright Dust, is described by the International Review of Books as ‘Beautiful and profound but also tender and enigmatic.’ Her second collection, Light Beneath the Lids, is out now
Jane’s other titles include Loss and Hannah for adults, and for children 7 to 11 A Tale of Three Tabbies, described by LoveReading4Kids as ‘a heart-warming survival story – a tale of hope, humanity, triumph over danger and adversity, and winning against all the odds,’ and My Cat Called Red, described by Blackheath Books & Bubbles as ‘a book that really moves you & touches your heart & soul.’
Nevada Street Press was shortlisted in the Made in Greenwich category for the Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2023, awarded Best Emerging Independent Publisher 2024 (UK Enterprise Awards 2024) and Emerging Independent Publisher of the Year 2025 - UK (Business Excellence Awards).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 18, 2025
This book fictionalizes the real story of rescuing three adorable tabby strays from a Greek island by a British family (actually, two sisters with their five children) during the pandemic. That’s according to the author’s afterword, at least, and it explains a lot about how the story is written. I mean, we get these cute interactions between cats and their point of view on events — the ironic commentary that this POV allows on “the plague” (COVID lockdowns) and Brexit. But let’s admit it: the entire adventure is mostly about getting paperwork done and hiring the right people to courier the cats to England. This is something very significant to accomplish in the actual world when you have decided to rescue cats from a place where they have little sustenance, especially outside the tourist season, but not much of an adventure in terms of children’s literature conventions. Everything just happens *to* the cat protagonists; they are not the heroes of an adventure in the way children’s literature usually expects. That said, I didn’t actually test this with actual child readers: whether or not they would find the story compelling to follow, as opposed to stories where animal protagonists actually save the day, or at least themselves.
This story does have the potential to do something else, though — to draw attention to the actual plight of feral populations in the precarious, human-ruled world in a way that more common stories about anthropomorphized animals who save the day cannot. On this made-up Greek island, most people don’t really like the cats; some even try to poison them as a way of controlling the stray population. Only a few people are kind to the cats, but their ability to feed the strays fluctuates with the seasonal changes of tourism-related activity. One could argue that this is too complicated a topic for a middle-grade book, but I wish it addressed human responsibility in this human–animal nexus in a more systemic way. Of course there will be an annoyingly large population of strays that no number of well-meaning humans will have enough resources to feed if they are left to multiply uncontrollably, especially during the more abundant parts of the year. The human characters’ (and the author’s) decision to rescue a few cats they connected with and pour a ton of money into their transportation is commendable, but it’s hardly a sustainable solution — to imagine that all strays will be adopted by people from more affluent countries. (Something the author admits she wanted to imagine in the epilogue but ultimately opted for a more realistic picture.) TNR (trap-neuter-release) initiatives, which offer a more sustainable solution, are only briefly mentioned in the afterword and are not part of the story itself.
In fact, regarding the idea of “being rescued to a more affluent country”: it is so persistent in the story that I thought for a while the book might secretly be about something else. Refugees from afflicted African countries who pay dearly to be smuggled into Western Europe, enduring harsh conditions along the way? But no—apparently it really is just about a group of cats rescued by well-meaning Western women from a place where less well-meaning locals posed a threat to them. A commendable thing to do in real life, but a bit problematic to include without qualification in a literary text.
3.5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book through NetGalley. The opinion above is entirely my own.
This story does have the potential to do something else, though — to draw attention to the actual plight of feral populations in the precarious, human-ruled world in a way that more common stories about anthropomorphized animals who save the day cannot. On this made-up Greek island, most people don’t really like the cats; some even try to poison them as a way of controlling the stray population. Only a few people are kind to the cats, but their ability to feed the strays fluctuates with the seasonal changes of tourism-related activity. One could argue that this is too complicated a topic for a middle-grade book, but I wish it addressed human responsibility in this human–animal nexus in a more systemic way. Of course there will be an annoyingly large population of strays that no number of well-meaning humans will have enough resources to feed if they are left to multiply uncontrollably, especially during the more abundant parts of the year. The human characters’ (and the author’s) decision to rescue a few cats they connected with and pour a ton of money into their transportation is commendable, but it’s hardly a sustainable solution — to imagine that all strays will be adopted by people from more affluent countries. (Something the author admits she wanted to imagine in the epilogue but ultimately opted for a more realistic picture.) TNR (trap-neuter-release) initiatives, which offer a more sustainable solution, are only briefly mentioned in the afterword and are not part of the story itself.
In fact, regarding the idea of “being rescued to a more affluent country”: it is so persistent in the story that I thought for a while the book might secretly be about something else. Refugees from afflicted African countries who pay dearly to be smuggled into Western Europe, enduring harsh conditions along the way? But no—apparently it really is just about a group of cats rescued by well-meaning Western women from a place where less well-meaning locals posed a threat to them. A commendable thing to do in real life, but a bit problematic to include without qualification in a literary text.
3.5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book through NetGalley. The opinion above is entirely my own.
December 7, 2025
A touching middle grade story of cat rescue in Greece during COVID. Heartwarming, hopeful!
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
June 4, 2023
Book Review: A Tale of Three Tabbies
Author: Jane Lightbourne
Publisher: Nevada Street Press
Publication Date: April 27, 2023
Review Date: June 3, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the blurb:
“October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.
Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE.
Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12.
A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.
A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.”
———
Wow! I just love Jane Lightbourne’s books. I was taken with her previous book, A Cat Called Red, and once again, I have only good, good things to say about A Tale of Three Tabbies.
What I especially liked about Three Tabbies was the conversations between the stray cats, starting in Chapter 8. I am always drawn in when animal characters come alive and speak. This story stole my heart, and I nightly, highly recommend this book, for animal lovers, and perhaps to be read aloud to children at bedtime.
This review will be posted on NetGalley and Goodreads.
#netgalley #taleofthreetabbies #janelightbourne #booksforanimallovers #booksfor children
Author: Jane Lightbourne
Publisher: Nevada Street Press
Publication Date: April 27, 2023
Review Date: June 3, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the blurb:
“October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.
Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE.
Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12.
A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.
A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.”
———
Wow! I just love Jane Lightbourne’s books. I was taken with her previous book, A Cat Called Red, and once again, I have only good, good things to say about A Tale of Three Tabbies.
What I especially liked about Three Tabbies was the conversations between the stray cats, starting in Chapter 8. I am always drawn in when animal characters come alive and speak. This story stole my heart, and I nightly, highly recommend this book, for animal lovers, and perhaps to be read aloud to children at bedtime.
This review will be posted on NetGalley and Goodreads.
#netgalley #taleofthreetabbies #janelightbourne #booksforanimallovers #booksfor children
May 29, 2023
Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
*********************************************************
October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.
Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE. Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12. A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.
A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.
I actually have a picture book on the stray cats of Greece so this one called me to read it. I love Tabby Cats … they are walking love bugs and their story with their new family Was endearing. Perfect for any cat lover and kids who are 8 to 12 will inhale this book and keep re-reading it. The book involves a lot of stress in regard to COVID lockdowns, worries that the cats will have to be left behind, etc. but this is for older kids and leaving that out would be revisionist history.
Highly recommended and many blessings and thanks to the rescuers of these three little lost and in need of owner kitties. (We actually don't own cats, they own us!)
#shortbutsweetreviews
*********************************************************
October 2020, and the world is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. On the Greek island of Agrion, forest fires are raging, tourists are scarce, and restaurants are closing.
Life on the island’s streets is tough for stray cats, Silva, Theo and Lila. The three tabbies are hungry, very hungry, and under threat from perils known and unknown. They dream of ESCAPE. Enter a legal bubble - two English sisters and their five children who have managed to travel to Agrion between lockdowns. The cousins fall for the three tabbies and are determined to rescue them. But how?
From the author of My Cat Called Red comes an exciting new humorous animal action and adventure chapter book for children aged 8 to 12. A Tale of Three Tabbies is based on a true story and is a heart-warming survival story that will appeal to animal lovers of all ages: relevant, contemporary, a tale of hope and humanity, of triumph over danger and adversity against all the odds.
A percentage of royalties from the sale of this book will go to help the very real, very hungry stray cats still in Greece.
I actually have a picture book on the stray cats of Greece so this one called me to read it. I love Tabby Cats … they are walking love bugs and their story with their new family Was endearing. Perfect for any cat lover and kids who are 8 to 12 will inhale this book and keep re-reading it. The book involves a lot of stress in regard to COVID lockdowns, worries that the cats will have to be left behind, etc. but this is for older kids and leaving that out would be revisionist history.
Highly recommended and many blessings and thanks to the rescuers of these three little lost and in need of owner kitties. (We actually don't own cats, they own us!)
#shortbutsweetreviews
June 2, 2023
Princess Fuzzypants here: Since this is based on a real story I assume, that with certain literary licence,, the things that are written did occur. I found the book pleaded the case for the kitties that every tourist encounters in Greece. On some islands they await the boats, stretched out in the sun lining the paths from the docks. Some islands appear to take care of their kitties. But not the island in this book. There are kind humans who attempt to help them but there are also evil people who wish only to do them harm.
Three little kitties charm the “legal bubble” of two mothers who are sisters on vacation with their five children. When the family come to eat a the restaurant of a kindly man, the three “adopt” them but are so sad when one day, they leave. Soon the kindly man will return to Athens as the summer season has ended and life becomes hard scrabble and brutal the island’s cats.
Twice two sets of strangers arrive at the island looking for something. The first one catnaps the nastiest cat on the island but bring her back. They are searching for specific kitties- the three tabbies. Third time is lucky as the lady who feeds the cats knows exactly which ones are getting the break. The trip from Greece to England is not easy but when the kitties are welcomed by their new forever humans, it is all worth the sadness and the struggle.
Sometimes the story seems so bleak but things do work out and I think that young readers who love cats will not only want to buy this book (part of the proceeds go to feeding the cats in Greece) but may want to get involved in cat rescues. For that alone, I give five purrs and two paws up.
Three little kitties charm the “legal bubble” of two mothers who are sisters on vacation with their five children. When the family come to eat a the restaurant of a kindly man, the three “adopt” them but are so sad when one day, they leave. Soon the kindly man will return to Athens as the summer season has ended and life becomes hard scrabble and brutal the island’s cats.
Twice two sets of strangers arrive at the island looking for something. The first one catnaps the nastiest cat on the island but bring her back. They are searching for specific kitties- the three tabbies. Third time is lucky as the lady who feeds the cats knows exactly which ones are getting the break. The trip from Greece to England is not easy but when the kitties are welcomed by their new forever humans, it is all worth the sadness and the struggle.
Sometimes the story seems so bleak but things do work out and I think that young readers who love cats will not only want to buy this book (part of the proceeds go to feeding the cats in Greece) but may want to get involved in cat rescues. For that alone, I give five purrs and two paws up.
December 2, 2025
⭐ Fiction | Cats & Family Life
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
A Tale of Three Tabbies caught my attention immediately because, as a cat lover, the cover art really pulled me in. I was excited to dive into a story centered around cats, but surprisingly, the cats don’t appear until about 14% into the book. Before that, the focus is mainly on the family navigating Covid-era challenges and setting up the dynamics of the main characters.
Although this is not a picture book, some chapters include simple line art that adds a bit of visual interest. Once the cats finally enter the story, there are plenty of different feline personalities and interactions, which ended up being the parts I enjoyed most.
While the human storyline takes up a good portion of the book, I personally found myself mainly looking forward to only the scenes involving the cats.
Overall, A Tale of Three Tabbies blends family drama with moments of feline charm. Cat lovers may appreciate the variety of cats featured, but readers hoping for a cat-focused story from the very beginning might find themselves waiting a bit for the whiskers to finally appear.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
A Tale of Three Tabbies caught my attention immediately because, as a cat lover, the cover art really pulled me in. I was excited to dive into a story centered around cats, but surprisingly, the cats don’t appear until about 14% into the book. Before that, the focus is mainly on the family navigating Covid-era challenges and setting up the dynamics of the main characters.
Although this is not a picture book, some chapters include simple line art that adds a bit of visual interest. Once the cats finally enter the story, there are plenty of different feline personalities and interactions, which ended up being the parts I enjoyed most.
While the human storyline takes up a good portion of the book, I personally found myself mainly looking forward to only the scenes involving the cats.
Overall, A Tale of Three Tabbies blends family drama with moments of feline charm. Cat lovers may appreciate the variety of cats featured, but readers hoping for a cat-focused story from the very beginning might find themselves waiting a bit for the whiskers to finally appear.
June 17, 2023
Recommended to me by a real-life Pre Raphaelite muse, I have followed Jane as an author for about a year now. Bit of a 'fan'. But can say, objectively: I flew through this one on a commute. It's THAT fast a read. Think JK Rowling via Gerald Durrell and a dash of Arthur Ransome plus hint of Dinsey. You will laugh. Cry. And learn!
Must confess to being v jealous of the author. She has managed to get the Holy Grail before me (yes, I am a budding writer) by somehow separating kids/adult books and then, here, also fusing the two markets. Parents can read this to children but also, vice versa. Because the text captures young thought processes within their older counterparts then flips that and shows a mutual life lesson, via anthropomorphic viewfinder. Neither group is patronised.
Landscape. Cat mythology. Bit of pandemic inverse nostalgia. Great insights to parental stress and longing. Fab pics, too. Recommended. Read it, before they make the animated movie version!
Must confess to being v jealous of the author. She has managed to get the Holy Grail before me (yes, I am a budding writer) by somehow separating kids/adult books and then, here, also fusing the two markets. Parents can read this to children but also, vice versa. Because the text captures young thought processes within their older counterparts then flips that and shows a mutual life lesson, via anthropomorphic viewfinder. Neither group is patronised.
Landscape. Cat mythology. Bit of pandemic inverse nostalgia. Great insights to parental stress and longing. Fab pics, too. Recommended. Read it, before they make the animated movie version!
May 28, 2023
Based on true events, this book is a fictionalised piece of the author's trip to a Greek Island with her children, sister and nieces and nephews back in 2020.
I'm glad they managed to rescue three cats from this place.
However it was such a stressful read, not at all what I was expecting in a cat story.
The beginning sounds like a nightmare, travelling with rowdy kids during lockdown (the notorious bubble !) . None of the characters seem endearing. The rescue mission of the three cats was quite the hassle.
Luckily there was a happy ending for them, but the book wasn't your usual cutesy feel-good experience.
I'm glad they managed to rescue three cats from this place.
However it was such a stressful read, not at all what I was expecting in a cat story.
The beginning sounds like a nightmare, travelling with rowdy kids during lockdown (the notorious bubble !) . None of the characters seem endearing. The rescue mission of the three cats was quite the hassle.
Luckily there was a happy ending for them, but the book wasn't your usual cutesy feel-good experience.
June 10, 2023
I chose this because at the time, I was looking for a light, easy read. I'm a cat lover, and the title and cover illustration appealed to me.
I found this fun and pleasant to read, and the illustrations were charming. The story is set during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there were some references to Brexit. This was something that I was able to appreciate as a reader, because I felt it helped me to relate to the story. I also realised that the story was based partly on true events, which brought a smile to my face.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
I found this fun and pleasant to read, and the illustrations were charming. The story is set during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there were some references to Brexit. This was something that I was able to appreciate as a reader, because I felt it helped me to relate to the story. I also realised that the story was based partly on true events, which brought a smile to my face.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
June 14, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for providing me this E-ARC
Two English sisters with their five kids travel to a Greek island when coronavirus spread the whole world. Forest fires, restaurants closing.
And the kids found three tabby kittens. And they want to rescue, want to bring them back to England.
But they have to race with the lockdowns!
Telling from human POV and the kitty POV, this story also based on true story. Miouuung!
Two English sisters with their five kids travel to a Greek island when coronavirus spread the whole world. Forest fires, restaurants closing.
And the kids found three tabby kittens. And they want to rescue, want to bring them back to England.
But they have to race with the lockdowns!
Telling from human POV and the kitty POV, this story also based on true story. Miouuung!
August 7, 2023
A bitter-sweet and heartwarming story about life on a Greek island during COVID, saving cats and the bond between a boy and a cat
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 7, 2023
It is a poignant yet heartwarming tales about saving cats during the days of the lockdown. The writing is beautifully done. It just brings back memories of those insane days.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews