Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure

by Megan Wagner Lloyd

When her cherished Ma Millie falls ill, a timid housecat ventures into the wild to seek help in this adventure about love, loss, and finding the truest version of ourselves.

A warm, cozy lap. The toasty smell of baking bread. Tasty food served in a bright-blue bowl. These make Haven’s life as an indoor pet heaven. All thanks to her beloved human and rescuer, Ma Millie. But when Ma Millie becomes too sick to care for her, the cat’s cozy life is turned upside down, and Haven decides she must seek out another human for help. Anything for Ma Millie! Her vow pulls her out of her safe nest into the shadowy forest and down unfamiliar and dangerous roads. When her first plan fails, Haven meets a wilderness-savvy fox who volunteers as an ally, and their perilous journey together brings some victories. But Haven finds herself pitted against creatures far wilder than she ever could be, testing her strength and spirit to their limits. Will her loyalty to Ma Millie—and her newfound confidence in herself—be enough to help Haven see the quest through to its conclusion? Can she stand up against the fierce predator that is tracking her every move?

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Adventure, Fiction, Cats, Fantasy, Childrens

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2022

About the author

Megan Wagner Lloyd is the writer of the kids' graphic novels ALLERGIC and SQUISHED, co-created with illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter, and the SUPER PANCAKE series, co-created with illustrator Abhi Alwar. She's also the author of HAVEN: A SMALL CAT'S BIG ADVENTURE, and several picture books. She lives with her family in the Washington DC area.

Sign up for her newsletter: meganwagnerlloyd.com
Find her on Instagram: @meganwagnerlloyd

Reviews

[Kyra Leseberg (Roots & Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to win an advance copy of Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure from Candlewick Press! My daughter’s name is Haven and she is basically obsessed with cats so I knew this would be a fun book for us to read together.

Haven’s life as an indoor cat is cozy with plenty of delicious food and warm snuggles from her beloved human, Ma Millie. As winter approaches, Ma Millie becomes too weak to care for Haven or herself. Far in the country without a close neighbor, Haven sets off through the unfamiliar forest to find the only other human she knows that can help Ma Millie. Haven quickly befriends a fox and on their grand adventure to town in search of help, danger lurks too close for comfort!

Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure is a wonderful middle grade book that teaches readers about friendship, bravery, and finding strength in the face of adversity. I appreciated the fast pace to keep the attention of young readers, the thrilling climax, and even the bittersweet ending! My daughter and I both love and highly recommend this book to young middle grade readers who like animals and adventure stories! This book will be released by Candlewick Press on August 2, 2022.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a galley of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Haven is a book about a small cat with extra-large bravery. In this lower middle grade book--a good chapter book for young readers--Haven is a kitten taken in by the kind and elderly Ma Millie. When Millie comes down sick, Haven sets off to find help, braving the road and the terrifying woods before befriending a bold fox. Together, they venture toward town, learning from their growing friendship even as danger lurks close at their heels.

I would have loved this book as a child. It is a touch on the scary side for young readers, I should note--you can't help but worry about Ma Millie, and Haven's adventure introduces all kinds of threats. There's the looming issue of a resolution, too--even if Haven makes it, how will she bring help for her beloved human? I really like how Lloyd handled this dilemma, because as fantastical as the story is, the problems are still grounded in reality. I won't deny, I had some tears at the end of the book, too. A full range of emotions are packed into this slender book.

This will be a great book for young cat and animal lovers!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet children's story giving us how friendship is demonstrated by the kind act of a kitten, with other animals helping her. Haven, the kitten, wants to save her mistress's life when her mistress falls ill. A fox and the kitten help each other out of difficulties. I thank LibraryThing for an ARC.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute! Loved this tale of friendship and courage set deep in the animal world with multi POVs.

[Charlie Headley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cat named Haven and a fox team up and make a deal. The cat will bring the fox food and the fox will help Haven make an epic journey to save her human. You'll feel happiness and woe reading this tale.

[Claire Hearn]

One of the books for my students’ battle of the books competition.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read aloud with my 8 year old daughter, who loves cats! Great messages of friendship, bravery, love, & loss. Text level is easy enough that she could have read it herself but we enjoyed the story together!

[Marie]

Sweet, heart warming, simple.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A house cat sets out on a big quest to find a neighbor to come help her sick elderly owner.

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Megan Wagner Lloyd for shredding my heart to pieces over Haven, Millie, True, the bobcat, Jacob Levan, THE COWS… etc. What a beautiful little middle grade novel. Lovers of cats, Warriors, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Charlotte’s Web will like this one (I hope).

[Tyffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! Such a big adventure in such a small book. The story moves fast and has lots of emotion. I did cry in the end. Love it!

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so sweet. It managed to be both cozy and reminiscent of the traumatizing 90s pet movies. I loved Haven and Ma Millie so much. The author's note was special too.

I cried tho. 😭🧡

[Julia Harkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, short animal adventure story. Perfect for cat lovers and emerging readers.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mara loved this so much! The day after we finished she told me she was going to play "Haven" at recess the next day. The switching perspectives was an effective tool to build suspense; we had to read the entire last quarter at once and Lily even sat in to hear the end of the story. Mara then literally fell asleep hugging the book. This kid's a hoot. <3

[Anna Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and incredibly written story, I felt totally transported to and delighted by Haven's world - just beautiful !

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy story that made me nostalgic for The Incredible Journey and maybe even Charlotte’s Web.

[Kit Sinatra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This is the perfect cozy fall middle grade read. I love books from an animal’s POV and this was my first cat narrator. So adorable and sad with lessons of bravery and friendship.

[lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic book

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Haven is a small cat who was rescued as a kitten by Ma Millie and has lived in her house, snuggling with her and basking in the aroma of baking bread. They are occasionally visited by neighbor Jacob Levan, who helps out the older woman and is now raising a cow she once had. When Ma Millie becomes ill, Haven is worried. She tries to find Jacob, but the cows say he has gone into town. How will Haven get there? She finds herself in the company of a fox (who has no name-- thoses are for soft, domesticated creatures!) who is bored. The fox takes pity on Haven and offers to help her get to town instead of trying to eat her. The two struggle to make their way across the treacherous forest, eluding a determined bobcat as well as other threats. When they make it to the town, the fox (who has accepted the name True) goes about her way, but Haven can't find Jacob. Will the cat be able to get help before Ma Millie is in serious danger?
Strengths: Ma Millie's cozy house is a nice foil for the harshness of the woods. My favorite part is undoubtedly the fox, who could so easily have eaten Haven but took her on as a project because she was bored. Are foxes really the wily and deceitful creatures fiction has made them out to be, or is it just their cute faces with inscrutable expressions? The two have an unlikely friendship, but stick together and learn to enjoy each other's company. This is a great book to pair with Hashimoto's 2022 Bound for Home or Burnford's classic 1960 The Incredible Journey.
Weaknesses: Okay, so Haven saves Ma Millie, but it's really the cows who alert Jacob. They don't get quite enough credit.
What I really think: There are very few books about cat adventures; I can only think of the Warriors books and Blake's 2012 Last Free Cat. This is a somewhat shorter book, so would be good for elementary readers, but will also work in middle school for the feline obsessed reader who would rather be cuddling a cat than reading about them. I will probably purchase, but enjoyed this author's Allergic a lot more. I'm decidedly a dog person and believe in my heart of hearts that cats are evil and want to kill us all. My daughter's cats have not dissuaded me from this opinion!

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more bookish thoughts, see my blog: Craft-Cycle

A sweet story of one cat's determination to help the human she loves. Told through three different perspectives, Haven tells the tale of a housecat traversing the wild, making new friends, encountering new enemies, and facing the odds in an unknown world.

Perfect for readers who enjoy animals, nature, and survival stories. This book deals with finding food in the wild, avoiding predators, and navigating difficult terrain. Full of danger and adventure with a sweet side of unexpected friendship.

Well-written. The book does include death and hardship, including animal attacks and an animal dying, so may not be a good fit for a very sensitive reader. Works well for those looking for a Homeward Bound-style adventure.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

If The Incredible Journey and Warriors had a baby, it would be this book.

While there was nothing wrong with this book, I didn't find that it had a heck of a lot to recommend itself either. That is, outside of just being what it is; it'd be an easy book to Book Talk because anyone who likes cats at all would likely enjoy this. It's also super short and has short chapters. That's a lot going for it from a hand sell to kids point of view.

I actually found the relationship between the fox and the cat somewhat rewarding, too. And the not entirely pat ending added a bit of gravitas to a fairly safe read.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet premise with a tender beginning and a tender end. A bit of a drag through the middle section. My nine year old son, who read this independently, enjoyed the story but wished there was a heroic boy character. The two main characters are girls. I can appreciate his annoyance; a boy character truly would have added depth and texture to the story. Still, a sweet little story. Suggested for girl readers.

[Mconne5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up because it is a short 2023-2024 Bluebonnet read (only 140 pages). We did it as a read aloud with Reid an I alternating chapters. We read almost all of it in one sitting and read the last 30 pages the next morning. I knew it would be a win for Reid who LOVES animals. It is current #1 out of the 9 bluebonnet books he has read this year. It was too simple for my taste though and I have an issue with books where all the animals talk but they also eat each other

[Cecilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

After a bit of a reading lull (life has truly been crazy), this was a quick one to get back into it.

Not the most fun or meaningful middle school books I've read (even recently). I usually love a cat character, but Haven just felt like a completely human character who happened to be a cat. Overall, I thought this story was fine.

[Renee · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐✨
3.5 stars

Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd.
After finding herself alone and frightened as a kitten, Haven discovers safety and love when a kindly elderly woman takes her in. Years later, the little cat is content with her quiet indoor life, but when her beloved owner becomes seriously ill and has no way of calling for help, Haven must venture back into the frightening world outside to find someone who can help.

This was such a sweet, heartfelt adventure, with considerably more emotional depth than I initially expected.

What I particularly loved was Haven's character development and the strength of the bond between her and her owner. Haven is a fully grown cat, albeit a very small one, whose early experiences have left her frightened of the outside world. Her owner's home has become her sanctuary, and she's understandably reluctant to leave it. But when the woman who once rescued her needs help, Haven's love and loyalty prove stronger than her fear. There's something especially touching about that reversal: the little kitten who was once rescued is now determined to rescue the person who saved her.

I also loved that Haven's bravery isn't portrayed as an absence of fear. She's terrified, and with good reason, but she ventures out anyway. The forest is dangerous, and she has to learn how to navigate an environment she has spent years avoiding. Her friendship with True, a fox she encounters along the way, was another highlight. Their relationship develops from suspicion and mistrust into genuine affection and loyalty, with True helping Haven learn the skills she needs to survive. Over time, Haven becomes more resourceful and confident, gradually learning to trust her own judgement and abilities.

Importantly, that growth doesn't come easily or without consequences. Haven faces genuine danger and experiences things that leave lasting effects, but she continues to adapt. I particularly appreciated that her courage evolves throughout the story. She's not simply overcoming an unfamiliar fear; she's learning that even after experiencing hardship, she can still find the confidence to venture into the world again.

There's also considerable emotional complexity woven into the story. It explores illness, grief, loss and resilience with sensitivity, without pretending that love and courage can necessarily prevent sad things from happening. Some moments are genuinely heartbreaking, especially for a children's book, but they're balanced by messages of hope, friendship and the importance of connection. I appreciated that the story allows space for sadness and recovery rather than suggesting that everything can simply return to the way it was before.

The writing is accessible for younger readers without being overly simplified. Lloyd doesn't shy away from more challenging vocabulary, which I appreciated. There's enough context for children to work out unfamiliar words, and I think that's a valuable quality in children's literature. The story also trusts its readers to engage with complicated emotions rather than making everything conveniently happy.

I originally picked this up because I'd enjoyed one of Megan Wagner Lloyd's graphic novels and thought my daughter might like this one too. Unfortunately, the lack of illustrations put her off, but I still think it's a story she'd enjoy. That said, there are some quite confronting moments involving animal injury, danger, illness and loss, which may be upsetting for more sensitive younger readers. It's worth knowing that this isn't an entirely lighthearted animal adventure.

Overall, a lovely, bittersweet story about the strength of love, the courage to face our fears, and the friendships that help us discover what we're capable of. There's a lot of heart here, and some genuinely meaningful messages for younger readers.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan Wagner Lloyd, likely best known for her graphic novels Squished and Allergic and several picture books, brings a wonderful story of an unlikely rescue and a friendship that is equally unusual.

Haven is a rescue kitten who loves her pampered, indoor pet life with Ma Millie and revels in her comfortable surroundings, but something is wrong with her owner and maybe, just maybe if Haven can find her way to the neighbor’s house, she can lead him back to help Ma. Harnessing a bravery she didn’t know she had, she finds a way out and a path to Jacob’s house to find that his cows are a bit unnerved at his unexpectedly long trip to town. With no recourse, Haven takes off down the road for a town she knows nothing about and no plan for finding help if she gets there. Fortunately, Haven is befriended by a fox who agrees to help her navigate a short cut to town through the woods in exchange for regular food from Ma Millie’s pantry. The fox, later named True, by Haven honors his agreement and the two navigate a stream, river, ravine and the stalking and attack of a bobcat. Being a book written for those in grades 2-5, there is, of course a happy ending, but it is does not come easily and isn’t altogether perfect. It is, however, warm and wonderful and so well-written that it will seem entirely believable.

Highly recommended for libraries of those in grades 2-5 as a class read aloud or for those who can read independently. With only 144 pages, Lloyd’s book will be approachable by many and with its engaging story, even those who can read longer novels, will enjoy this one. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence is limited to the bobcat’s attack on True and Haven which is not overly graphic. Positive representation of Ma and Jacob, both more “seasoned” adults.

Readalikes and/or for those who enjoy: Jasmine Warga’s Unlikely Tale of Chase & Finnegan, Rosanne Parry’s Voice in the Wilderness quartet, Applegate’s One & Only Ivan series and McCall Hoyle’s Best Friends Dog Tales series.

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short and sweet read. I'm a sucker for animal stories, and after being let down by my last animal-centric read The Last Bear I needed a palette cleanser. Haven turned out to be just what I needed -- the story of a little cat who finds it in herself to be brave in the face of impossible odds.

Haven lives a comfortable life with Ma Millie, the woman who rescued her and gives her a home in her little house in the woods. But when Ma Millie falls ill, Haven realizes it's her turn to save her human. She sets off on a journey to find help, a journey that will take her through a treacherous forest as winter slowly sets in. With the help of a mischievous fox, she faces rivers, ravines, the perils of the city, and a murderous bobcat to save Ma Millie.

This is a simple tale, aimed at children... but it doesn't sugarcoat itself or talk down to its audience. It treats its animals like actual animals, not like tiny people in fur coats, and their behaviors felt realistic without being utterly alien. I like xenofiction books that strike a balance between letting us into the lives of its animal characters and humanizing them to the point where they're no longer animals anymore, and Haven finds that balance nicely.

Haven's evolution as a character is fantastic as well. The reader watches her go from a scared and naive housepet to a brave little soul who, while she never truly becomes a wild thing, nonetheless finds the courage to save those she loves. And the relationship she forges with True, the fox, is delightful. The bobcat is a bit of a stock villain, but then, what's a story without a good villain?

Haven is a snippet of a tale, but a good one, full of heart and warmth amidst its danger. Good for all ages... though sensitive readers are best warned that there are scenes of harm to animals (though not caused by humans).

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart, inspiration, and warmth make this a book to cuddle up with and dream of big adventures and the vast world beyond the backyard.

Haven is a content cat. After being abandoned in the woods, she was accepted into Ma Millie's home. There's isn't a better home that Haven could have asked for. When Ma Millie falls ill and help isn't nearby, Haven knows it's her turn to return the favor. Setting off to find assistance, Haven has no idea how many dangers she's about to face, nor can she even suspect what great friendship lies in store.

This is one of those animal books to fall in love with and enjoy from beginning to end. It's written for the lower end of the middle grade audience, and even suitable for those who are ready to leave the chapter book world. The chapters are short, the vocabulary isn't too hard but offers a little challenge, and the flow keeps boredom away. There are some more tense scenes, which might bother very sensitive readers, but most readers will enjoy the added adventure and find themselves at the edge of their seat.

The writing grabs right away and keeps the reader in the pages the whole way through. The scenes come to life as the odor of fresh bread or forest scenes bring a nice vividness, and that without bogging down with heavy descriptions. There's always something going on to drive the tale forward. Add Haven as a cat to root for, and an unexpected friendship, and there's more to love than just the heroism and exciting moments. Even the end touches the heart and leaves on a bitter-sweet note, which isn't quickly forgotten.

It's an easy read and packs enough adventure to even interest those readers, who aren't normally animal-story fans. I received an ARC and enjoyed Haven's adventures quite a bit.

[Thistle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other than its length, there's no way I would consider this a middle grade book. It was wonderfully written, a beautiful story. I wish it had taken me 8+ hours to read instead of under two.

Haven is a cat. Where she was born she doesn't know, but her earliest memories are of being in the woods. Scared and alone. When you're a tiny little kitten, everything in the woods is a threat.

She found her way onto a woman's doorstep. The woman adopted her, and the two lived alone together for years. Scared of everything outside, Haven was happy to stay an inside cat.

One day the woman got sick, very sick, and the only thing Haven could think to do was to go to the one neighbor and try to get him to help. But that meant going outside...

Everything about this book was great (other than the length). Haven was a completely realistic cat, even though animals could talk to each other. (The other animals, the wild ones, were perfectly realistic, too.)

Haven was a wonderful character to use as a lesson for kids, too: Even though she was scared, very scared, she kept trying to help anyway. Her fear never went away, she never stopped being scared at any point, but she still kept trying.

No spoilers, but the ending of the story was just as good and realistic as the rest of it.

I'd love to read something else by this author, but looks like everything else she's written is for very young kids (new readers or storybooks to read to kids who can't read yet).