The Adventures of Songha

In her new children's book, The Adventures of Songha: The Amazing Savannah Cat, Linda R. Caterine provides the reader with a "cat's eye" view into the heart and soul of Songha, a beautiful exotic Savannah cat.

Savannah cats are a relatively new breed that is part African Serval Wildcat and part domestic cat. Songha's temperament is that of a traditional domestic cat, but her wildcat blood drives her to seek out adventure. Her restlessness takes her into exciting and sometimes, dangerous territory.

The Adventures of Songha is intended for readers aged 9-12. Caterine has based the story on her real-life experiences breeding and raising these unusual Savannah cats. In The Adventures of Songha, the reader learns about Songha's Serval father and his African homeland in the grassy savannahs of the Kalahari Desert. Songha relates her adventure of leaving her father to go and live with her new family in Las Vegas.

Songha loves her new family but is disappointed about being kept inside the house. She longs to be able to go outside and roam free and begins searching for ways to escape. Songha doesn't want to run away from her home; she just wants to be able to come and go for a while.

Caterine has included a poem at the end of each chapter summarizing its contents. At the end of Chapter Three, in "One Of A Kind," Caterine writes:

My new home is in Las Vegas
With its bright and shiny streets,
Where white tigers jump through fiery hoops
In a city that never sleeps,
A fitting place for one like me
Where "Stars" are often seen,
I have found that in Las Vegas
It is GOOD to be the Queen!

From her daring escape through an upstairs window to her confrontation with a wild coyote, The
Adventures of Songha shows that these unique Savannah cats can be wild, sweet, endearing and
infuriating - all at the same time! As Songha pursues her adventures she learns valuable life lessons and gains much needed wisdom, all the while making new friends, both feline and human.

Karla's Review: I really enjoyed learning more about this rare breed of cat. The story was engaging and the black-and-white illustrations delightful. The editing was a little unpolished, but would be easily overlooked by the age group this story is geared for. Fun story!