Tuckered out from a journey across the Wild West, cat brothers Anton and Cecil are ready to head east for home--until a minor stop to change trains in Chicago turns into a major escapade. The brothers are recruited by a police bloodhound to help solve a case: puppies are disappearing right off their leashes!
Anton and Cecil’s search takes them deep into the heart of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, where they befriend exotic animals, ride the newly invented Ferris Wheel, and look for clues amid the crowds of fairgoers.
Fans of classic animal adventures such as The Wind in the Willows and Avi’s Poppy will love Anton and Cecil’s world, brimming with action and rich, true-to-life detail.
I grew up in New Orleans and spent my high school years writing overwrought poems and short stories. Then I took a detour into the land of numbers (business! accounting!), taught college sophomores, met my husband, hung out at home with our two sons, and now am finally back to the lovely world of words. I live in Charlottesville, Virginia with my family and our two cats, all of whom have made their way into my stories.
Anton and Cecil, two brother cats, are tired. They decide to go home and rest up a bit before life calls them to begin a brand new adventure. They hop the train and start heading east towards home. Ahhhh will be nice to just lay around in the sun and relax. But their destiny takes them in a completely different direction. With a keen sense of urgency and their love to solve a mystery, they step into a brand-new chapter of their lives.
While waiting to change trains in the city of Chicago another escapade taps them on the shoulders. Oh my... they just wanted ( and needed) some leisure time, a good rest, but we know that buried deep inside each and every cat is an innate curiosity that literally consumes them and off they go........
The brothers meet up with a blood-hound who needs their expertise in solving a very puzzling mystery. Puppies are vanishing right and left off of their leashes and both feline's help is desperately needed to solve the questions .... why and where are these puppies being taken?
This final episode has them donning their detective hats once again and plunging them deep into the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to look for clues as to where those puppies have vanished. The duo tirelessly case the fairgrounds engaging with exotic animals who might give them a clue, riding the newly invented Ferris Wheel, and being forever vigilant combing through the crowds for that clue that will give the answers they so need. The brothers weave in and out among the rides and exhibits watching... forever vigilant.
The book is full of quick action and intrigue as you try along with these two gum-paws to get those precious puppies back to their distraught owners. Can they do it?
A bonus is that the book is filled full of rich, true-to-life historical detail and the illustrations bring the words to life. This book is perfect for fans of classic animal tales such as "The Wind in the Willows" and Avi's "Poppy". I recommend the whole series.
Anton and Cecil, Book 3, by Lisa Martin, and Valerie Martin is the third book in the Anton and Cecil historical fiction series. After traveling by ship and train in the first two books, they get an opportunity to travel in the air in this outing. Anton and Cecil hook up with a bloodhound, Ruby LaNez in Chicago, to try a solve the mystery of the stolen white puppies. After helping to capture a bank robber, they head off to the fair to track down half a dozen missing white puppies. When they think they know who the culprits are, Cecil accidentally ends up in a hot air balloon. After a disaster in the sky, he ends up at the circus where he locates the missing puppies. With the help of some of the circus animals and a group of overgrown rats, he comes up with a plan to free a Siberian tiger and rescue the puppies. Anton and Ruby follow their noses and also end up at the circus. What an enjoyable adventure for a pair of adventurous cats. The illustrations are scattered throughout this early chapter book and add just enough visual appeal that children will enjoy. For readers who love animal adventurers this is a fun series. This is an early chapter book that would be great for those late primary, junior readers to enjoy.
I received an advanced copy this book via NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers. Thanks so much.
In their third outing, cat brothers Anton and Cecil stop in Chicago on their way home from an adventure and meet a police bloodhound Ruby LeNez. Ruby enlists their help to help her solve a case. Puppies are disappearing right off their leashes in the Chicago World’s Fair. As Anton and Cecil tag along and try to follow the clues, Cecil disappears too. Now Anton will have to work with Ruby to find the puppies and his brother.
Kids who love books about talking animals will enjoy this novel. It contains everything a good story should: adventure; friendship; a mystery; and good life lessons. Unlike other kids’ books that try to turn issues into soapboxes, authors Martin and Martin let the characters take the lead. The cat brothers meet a caged tiger in a circus who yearns for her freedom, yet in that same circus a monkey performs his act with pride and glee. With a deft hand and an old-world feel apt for the late-1900s setting of the book, the authors offer target readers a rollicking good time. I recommend readers Bookmark Anton and Cecil: Cats Aloft.
Cats Aloft is the final book in the Anton and Cecil trilogy. Written for young readers but enjoyed by all I was entranced with the first book (Cats at Sea) and quickly read the second and third because they are so well written and the story supremely interesting.
In the second book we find Anton & Cecil on their way west to rescue their mouse friend Hyronimos. After his rescue and his decision to remain on the west with his cousin to start of mouse business our cat travelers head back home by train only to end up in, what could be Chicago. There is a fair and a circus happening. They meet a bloodhound who is on the case of some missing puppies and Anton and Cecil help her with the case.
There are rats again, numerous discussions with horses, plenty of people getting in the way and, of course, Cecil always looking for something to eat.
I really enjoyed the entire series of these books and actually feel a little sad that their adventures have concluded. But one can only wonder if perhaps a future kit of theirs will take up the adventures in the future.
This was the third and final book of the series about two travelling cats. It was fantastic. Even though it was written for a middle-school audience it held my attention all the way to the end. Was it because I was familiar with the characters and their back stories, perhaps, but I am definitely glad to have spent the time reading the series before turning them over to St. Joseph’s School in Chehalis, WA.
This is a fantastic adventure with a wonderful historical background. I love that this is set at the Chicago World's Fair! All of the animal characters are delightful. I highly recommend this entire series! Please write more!
I received an electronic advance review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't remember most of this story, except for the bloodhound Ruby and the missing (stolen) puppies. I also for whatever reason remembered the hairless cat Zuma.
The Chicago World's Fair made a really fun setting for the story! I just wish there were more books in the series, I love these so much.
I listened to this with three of my grandchildren (ages 7, 9, and 12) on a short road trip–they loved it. When it was paused for a restroom break before everyone was buckled back up I heard, “Can we listen to the story?”
I enjoy reading this series as much as the kids at my library! Anton and Cecil have such fun adventures. Great for 2-4th grade readers, I received a Kindle arc from Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.
This is the third book in the Anton and Cecil historical fiction series. After traveling by ship and train in the first two books, they get an opportunity to travel in the air in this outing. Anton and Cecil hook up with a bloodhound, Ruby LaNez in Chicago, to try a solve the mystery of the stolen white puppies. After helping to capture a bank robber, they head off to the fair to track down half a dozen missing white puppies. When they think they know who the culprits are, Cecil accidentally ends up in a hot air balloon. After a disaster in the sky, he ends up at the circus where he locates the missing puppies. With the help of some of the circus animals and a group of overgrown rats, he comes up with a plan to free a Siberian tiger and rescue the puppies. Anton and Ruby follow their noses and also end up at the circus. Will they be able to rescue the puppies and get them back to their owners? What will happen to the circus animals? Will Anton and Cecil ever get back home? What an enjoyable adventure for a pair of adventurous cats. The illustrations are scattered throughout this early chapter book and add just enough visual appeal that children will enjoy. For readers who love animal adventurers this is a fun series. This is an early chapter book that would be great for those late primary, junior readers to enjoy.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm kind of sad to see the Anton and Cecil series come to an end. I enjoyed following the adventures of the two brother cats as they traveled by boat, train, and balloon.
This book picks up right where the last book, Cats on Track, ends. Anton and Cecil start making their way home but get sidetracked along the way. They help a detective bloodhound named Ruby in her investigation into a case of stolen puppies.
This is a quick and easy book to read, spattered with the occasional illustration. It's a nice conclusion to the series.
The first book, Cats at Sea, had some magic in it. It bordered on fantasy, but neither the second nor the third book had any magic in them. I wonder if being at sea lends itself to a magical story more than a train ride and a missing puppy mystery. I really liked the magical element in the first story and I wished that had continued throughout the series.
Regardless, it's still a good book and a fun adventure for kids ages 8-12.
Content: Clean
Source: The publisher sent me a copy of the book.
Find reviews of more great middle grade books on my blog: Batch of Books
Anton and Cecil, the lovable, adventuring feline siblings, are on their third adventure, where they’ll discover a carnival, find themselves recruited to solve a mystery of missing puppies, and discover that ballooning is yet another way to travel!
Taking place in Victorian England, this third book in the Anton and Cecil series is filled with fun and adventure. It’s not necessary to read the first two in the series; there’s enough exposition to jump right in with the animals and enjoy. Kelly Murphy’s black and white illustrations add depth and breathing room for readers. These are stories that will make parents remember the books we read growing up – The Wind in the Willows, The Rescuers, A Cricket in Times Square – and be glad that there are still sweet stories like this to be told.
Princess Fuzzypants here: Being a cat, I always love reading good cat stories and this one is a fantastic adventure of two brother cats, Anton and Cecil. These two are very capable and brave and smart so it is no wonder on their way home from their travels, they would team up with a bloodhound named Ruby to break a puppy stealing ring. The writing is easily understood for children yet not condescending for adults and cats. I loved their exploits and how they interact with other animals they meet. It is no wonder they are popular as they are very kind and thoughtful friends. This is the first book I have read of the series but I gladly would read more. In fact, if I could do an interview with them, I would post it on my blog. I give this five rousing purrs and two big paws up
This is the third book in the Anton and Cecil series, but the first one I have read,
Anton and Cecil are noted to have traveled by train and by sea in previous adventures, and this narration provides them opportunity to travel by air. With a dog-snatching mystery to solve, the cats team up with a bloodhound, Ruby LaNez, to solve the case. Moving between a fair and a circus, this book gives many characters to read about and is paired with illustrations that would appeal to a new reader of chapter books.
This book was received as a digital ARC through NetGalley in return for a fair review.
Fast paced and adorable literature for kids. So many kids books talk down to kids or introduce topics that shouldn't be introduced til much older. This is a perfect medium-- will definitely become a fun one I read aloud over summer break to the kids.
“ 'So, this is what birds see,' Cecil thought. 'I'm actually flying!' ” The clever Cecil from "Anton and Cecil: Cats Aloft" is quite astounded to be genuinely flying! Along with his brother Anton, Cecil finds adventure and mystery at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. "Cats Aloft" is a fable in book form. Having talking cats and animals galore, "Cats Aloft" is written by Lisa Martin and co-written by Valerie Martin. Lisa is Valerie's niece! Lisa reports that she gets her inspiration for Anton and Cecil from Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Also, she reports that when she writes she drafts best in short bursts of inspiration. "Anton and Cecil: Cats Aloft" is published by Algoquin Young Readers.
The book "Anton and Cecil: Cats Aloft" opens in the far West, where mountains and adventures abound. From there, it quickly moves to the quirky, fascinating 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where the two feline main characters find mystery and adventure! The first fundamental feline is Anton, who is practical and smart. Being low-key, he balances out his brother, the rambunctious Cecil, very well! Anton is slim, gray, and green-eyed. While Anton is abstemious and careful, Cecil is a black-and-white longhair who adulates food and new experiences. Cecil is creative and foolhardy. Incredibly brilliant, Ruby LeNez, a bloodhound aiding the brothers, is colorblind but still helpful in solving the mystery.
The two brother cats have two major problems to tackle. Having missed their ride home in the train station commotion, they are haplessly lost in a strange new world. While they are changing trains, they meet Ruby LeNez and become entangled in an exciting mystery! The second problem is that kidnappers are on the loose who are proving quite difficult to find. Brazenly, the nefarious antagonists steal purebred puppies to exploit in a failing circus. The brothers search for clues. They find unexpected adventure! They expertly deduce. In a quirky new world, Anton and Cecil are looking for a way home while also finding clues and solving an intriguing mystery!
The resolution of the book "Anton and Cecil: Cats Aloft" is when the feline brothers escape from the circus and solve the case. Desperate and tired, the brothers escape from the Big Top with aid from an unexpected friend, Tasha. Tasha is a striking, lithe, fierce tigress, whose amber eyes are enchanting, fulgent jewels. Shy Anton escapes by taking an impetuous ride on Tasha's back. Cecil causes a ruckus! ]Comically, he leaps onto the head of the ringmaster and scratches him, temporarily him. Once both cats are out, they meet Ruby LeNez, who has enlisted and trusted some rats to free the puppies. The rats hastily chew through the bindings of the cage which holds the captured puppies, freeing them. After all that excitement, Anton and Cecil finally get what they were seeking -- a train ride home.
Is "Cats Aloft" worth reading 259 word-packed pages? Yes, it certainly is! Amazingly, it has everything – adventure, mystery, and colorful, entertaining characters! The lesson taught in "Cats Aloft" is that however enchanting and exciting the outside world is, your family should provide a true dense of belonging. Vivid and humorous, the colorful way Lisa and Valerie Martin write makes you root for Anton and Cecil and relate to them, although they are only cats. Anton is a rational, agile cat who can always be counted on to dream up of an ingenious plan. Readers will enjoy him! Cecil, the cute, fluffy cat, will endear readers to himself as he creatively dreams up of outrageous plans. Having no weak points, this book is indeed a fabulous fable!
Cat brothers, Anton and Cecil unexpectedly fall in an adventure while trying to return back home. While waiting to change trains in the city of Chicago, another escapade awaits them. There, they meet a bloodhound, Ruby, who’s owner is a detective. Together with the help of many exotic animals, Anton, Cecil, and Ruby take on the case of the missing puppies. This case takes place during the 1893 Chicago World Fair, a time when Ferris wheel was the newest attraction. While searching for clues, Cecil gets separated from Anton and Ruby. Can Anton find Cecil in the crowded Fair? Will the animal detectives find the culprit?
Anton and Cecil’s cats aloft is for anyone from grades 3 to 6. The lovable, adventure seeking feline siblings, are on their third adventure and many readers would enjoy this book because it has a good plot and a lot of twists. The adventure that Cecil had while he was away from his brother was my favorite part to read.
This adventure book is a page turner and anyone that loves a good mystery will love this book. Madhalasa I, Age 11, North Texas Mensa
Although predictable to adults, the mystery is cute. What stands out for me is that the “mystery” goes beyond the clues of the case and requires young readers to figure out the objects being described, like the Ferris wheel and hot air balloon. Read more of the review on the Reading Tub website.