Baby Badger

Adventures in Fosterland

by Hannah Shaw, Bev Johnson (Illustrations)

All is quiet in the city as beings big and small find shelter from a snowstorm, except for one tiny squeak. It’s baby Badger, a newborn kitten with no momma to carry him to safety. He’s cold and so alone—until a helpful human finds him and brings him to the warmest place on Fosterland.

There, baby Badger is still an orphan, but he has a cozy house filled with stuffed animal friends who become his family. With Miss Moose, Teddy, and Monsieur Crocodile by his side, Badger has everything he needs. Then, a cat named Mama Mia and her five kittens join him! And Badger isn’t sure what to think of his new roommates. They do all sorts of confusing the kittens eat from their mom instead of from a bottle like him, and they lick each other. So odd!

But as Leeni, Mia’s sassy and bold kitten, begins to befriend Badger, he’ll have a decision to make—stay in his cozy, safe space with his stuffed animals, or risk it all for a friendship with his potential new pals.

Genres: Cats, Middle Grade, Animals, Chapter Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy

163 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2023

About the author

Hannah Shaw was born into a large family of sprout munching vegetarians.

As is the oldest child, she spent her formative years trying to be good at everything; from roller-skating to gymnastics. Hannah soon realised there wasn’t much chance of her becoming a gold medal winning gymnast, so she resigned herself to drawing pictures and writing stories!

By some mean feat Hannah found herself at the University of Brighton doing a degree in illustration. Soon an overwhelming obsession to make books took over her life. Inspired by her love of furry animals, Hannah wrote and illustrated her first picture book Evil Weasel, published by Jonathan Cape (Random House) in 2008. Her next book Erroll, about a boy who finds a squirrel in his packet of nuts, is out in 2009.

Hannah currently lives in a little cottage in the Cotswolds, with her husband Ben the blacksmith and her rescue dog Ren. Her over-active imagination fuels new ideas but unfortunately keeps her awake at night!

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can never get enough of these stories. Even though they all make me cry when it's time for the kitties to move on to foreverland. When badger had to say goodbye to Miss Moose I about lost it. I love that they get their forevers but I'm such a baby, reading about them moving on makes me so sad and happy for these little babies. I love it.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Badger was just a baby when he was left in an alleyway during a snowstorm with his mother, sisters, and brothers nowhere to found. Luckily, a human finds him and takes him to Fosterland, a place where he will always be safe and warm! One day a cat cat named Mama Mia and her kittens join him. Even though Badger is not happy about the new arrivals, the fortis kitten, Leenie quickly starts to befriend him.


This is a cute book for all cat lovers alike with a good lesson about accepting others.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Whoosh. A gust of freezing air blew through the streets, filling the alley with sparkly snow.

Premise/plot: Hannah Shaw, aka "Kitten Lady," is sharing true stories as animal fantasy in an illustrated chapter book series. Badger was/is an orphaned kitty. His first "litter-mates" or "family" were stuffed animals. He is adopted by another mom cat and her kittens. But is Badger ready to exchange his first family (stuffed animals) for a real family?

My thoughts: This one was super adorable. And it is set during the winter holidays (Christmas, etc.). It is definitely animal fantasy. Badger may be based on a true story--how she came to find her forever family--but the fantasy elements are STRONG. Cats don't really behave as cats. This goes beyond capturing things through a cat's point of view. This is neither good nor bad--it just is. I definitely found Badger and his new family cute, adorable, sweet, lovely.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baby Badger was found in a snow storm not long after birth almost frozen and separated from his mother. A lady found him and took him to Fosterland where he finally got warm and met his stuffy family, Teddy, Monsieur Crocodile, and Miss Moose. He thought they were all he needed until another cat moves into Fosterland and has a littler of kittens. Mama Mia wants to welcome Badger into her family, but Badger isn't so sure about all of them.

This is an imagined adventure based on a real couple of foster cats that Hannah Shaw (aka The Kitten Lady) rescued. The back of the book clarifies what is true and what was made up. It's a cute story about how good it is to have others in your life and cute kitten antics. The kittens all have an adventure with a Christmas tree at one point so this is kind of a holiday story.

Notes on content:
Language: One use of heck which may or may not be a no no word for lower grade readers.
Other: All the animals in the story end up with happy endings.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby Badger was one of the earlier foster kittens that I followed through Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw)'s social media page. I well remember him, and how he and Leeni bonded so quickly.
To see this story fictionalised with such a lovely message about belonging and what makes a true family filled my heart with ALL the warm fuzzies!

[Karen Brauneis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Story!

Years ago, having watched the reality of Badger’s life unfold as it happened, I was especially intrigued by this particular book. This is an extremely heartwarming novel. I found myself tearing up as the story unfolded, melding in my mind with the memories. Hannah truly has a gift of storytelling. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

[Erna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Hannah Shaw aka kittenxlady for some years now and know the story of Badger since he was found. I loved him from the beginning and was happy to see that he survived the cold and that he met mama Mia and her kittens in Fosterland. That he got adopted together with Leenie is wonderfull. Now I follow Badger and Leenie on Instagram.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is adorable! I absolutely LOVE the true stories following the contents of the chapter book itself, and the photographs on the back of each book showing who the book is inspired is such a cool add-on, too!

[Boyles Kids Book Tracker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Badger was a newborn kitten stuck in a snowstorm. In forsterland, he met some other kittens (Leeni, Big Tony, Max, Anya, and Rizzo) and they all became family with their mom, Mama Mia. At the end, Badger and Leeni we're adopted together.

[Allison Seyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really sweet book — and a good reminder that we all need friends!

[Allison Ketchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My seven year old and I loved this one. This is a delightful series.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there had been more illustrations, but it was another sweet book. Who doesn't love reading about found family?

[Julie Paden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love these books.

[Eugenio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter review:
It’s a very nice story, so loving and beautiful.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this the other day with kiddo. As kitten fosters, she absolutely loved to learn this story was based on a real Badger and Leeni!

[Themountainbookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story! Wasn't great at holding my attention.