Time Cat    by Lloyd Alexander Order:  USA  Can Puffin, 1996 (1963) Paperback, Audio     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson This is the story of a black cat, Gareth, and his owner Jason, who 'believed Gareth could do anything in the world' and was almost right. Jason had just had a bad five minutes, into which he'd managed to fit much too much trouble - spilling paint, punching his brother and talking back to his mother. He complains to his cat who ... talks back. Gareth explains that he doesn't really have nine lives but can visit them 'anywhere, any time, any country, any century.' Jason asks to go along and they visit ancient Egypt, Rome and Celtic Britain, Patrick's Ireland, Imperial Japan, Leonardo da Vinci's Italy, Peru in the time of the Spanish conquest, the Isle of Man and the Spanish Armada, Germany's witch hunts, and the American Revolution. In each of these places, Gareth and Jason manage to teach an important lesson to someone in history ... and perhaps Jason learns a few himself as he continues his own journey. Time Cat is a delightful tale for young teens, and for anyone who has wondered where cats go 'when you're looking all over and can't find them' or when they 'suddenly appear in a room when you were sure the room was empty.' Read Gareth's story and you'll find the answer. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews