Rediscover the magical adventure of Gobbolino the kitten and his friend the Little Wooden Horse, brought to life with gorgeous inside and cover illustrations from Catherine Rayner.When Gobbolino receives his sister Sootica's call for help he leaves his comfortable new life as a kitchen cat and sets off for the Hurricane Mountains, home of the old witch with whom his sister lives.On the way he meets the Little Wooden Horse, who offers to accompany him on his journey. It's just the beginning of many exciting, magical and sometimes dangerous adventures for these two brave and kind-hearted friends.Ursula Moray-Williams' The Further Adventures of Gobbolino and the Little Wooden Horse was originally published in 1984 and continues to be one of the most-loved classic stories of children's literature.
First published in 1984, long after Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse (1938) and Gobbolino The Witch's Cat (1942), this book brings the heroes of these two earlier works together. When Gobbolino, happily settled into his life as a kitchen cat, receives a letter from his sister Sootica, pleading for his help, he feels honor-bound to go to her aid. Meeting up with the little wooden horse on his journey to the Hurricane Mountains, Gobbolino finds a kindred spirit and a companion on his quest.
Together, the two friends encounter many dangers along their way, barely escaping from a pack of hunting dogs, and spending a night in a haunted church. When they finally reach their destination, they discover that Sootica longs to escape from her life as a witch's cat, and has concocted a plan to deceive her witch, using Gobbolino as her double. Although the little wooden horse strongly objects, Gobbolino agrees to his sister's plan, only to find himself trapped in the witch's cavern.
How Gobbolino and his friend freed themselves from the witch - who wasn't as bad as she might have been - and how Sootica discovered just what it was she truly wanted, make for a satisfying conclusion to this light-hearted adventure. All in all, I found that my reactions to the characters of Gobbolino and the little wooden horse remained the same as in the first two books, and that a cat makes for a more engaging and endearing protagonist than a wooden toy.
Again: I LOVE these books. Perfect for all ages. This book was a wonderful addition to the original two books, bringing back some amazing characters. I'll admit, I was a little worried at first. Gobbolino and the Little Wooden Horse had so much in common! How would I differentiate between them? But it was quite easy. Although the similar, the cat and the horse are drastically different (though still very charming!). Recommend to EVERYONE
Picked this up at a bookswap in kiddo's school, back when parent's were allowed to enter... Not sure if I thought I had read it myself as a child, or maybe it was just the cover of maybe even the "Young Puffin" logo that gave a pang of nostalgia. A great contrast to prev read. - No Ballet Shoes in Syria. A welcome change to be in the company of some talking animals / wooden horse, their minor perils and easy solutions.
I've now read this whole series to my son. This is decidedly the best of the lot.
I seemed to observe evidence of the author's maturation. The characters weren't all so one dimensional. The protagonists were less insufferable. The plot was a bit more interesting.
Apparently it was written 40 years after the first instalment, an impressive accomplishment. All in all, it's a nice series to read to a young child.
Really about a 4.2 for me. I had put off reading this after seeing some negative reviews; very glad I finally read it. Not for everyone; it's rather old fashioned and didactic, and yet the warmth of the friendship between Gobblino and the Horse as well as their love for their families made this heartwarming for me. It's drenched in emotion but that's okay. I bought a used copy and I think I'll look for a better one.
It's written in the same style so if you liked the first one you should read this one too. Here Gobbolino tries to save his sister who decided that she also does not want to be a witch's cat anymore. However, she is still very mean and treats Gobbolino like crap so I did not like the happy ending that she received.
If you like 'Gobolino the Witch's Cat' and you like 'The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse then you'll love 'The Adventures of Gobolino the Witch's Cat and the Little Wooden Horse'