The Cat's Tales by Charlie Creed ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Once upon a time, the enchanting creature that is the cat infiltrated our lives – and our folklore.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

October 2025; Elliott & Thompson; 9781783969210
ebook, print (224 pages); anthology

I'm not a big fan of fairy tales, fables, or folklore, but I couldn't pass up a book featuring cats. If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I have a few cats (7 to be exact, because it is the perfect number). I loved the tag line "Feline Fairy Tales and Folklore" because I'm a fan of alliteration. 

I also thought it would be a good book for my Halloween reading list. And it definitely is, if you are still looking for what to read. Short stories are great for the interruptions that occur when the doorbell rings on that night.

Now this isn't just a collection of short stories. Creed provides commentary on each story - how it fits with the country, culture, and/or time period. He also has grouped the stories thematically and provides an introduction at the beginning of each theme. He discusses how each theme, such as the trickster cat, is handled in the overall literature, and sometimes gives more examples than the stories included in the book.

I wish that each story had had its title at the beginning of the story instead of just the country, as I would forget what the title was from the theme introduction, and it wasn't always mentioned in the story introduction. There is a list at the end of the book, but that wasn't always helpful, as some of the titles aren't super descriptive.

Some of the stories you will probably recognize, like Puss in Boots, and there are a few of Aesop's Fables included. A couple of the fairy tales felt familiar, except for the cat being the protagonist. That could be because many of these stories were told in the oral tradition for centuries before being written down. Creed mentions that variations exist in different cultures for at least a few of the stories.

I was surprised by the variety of countries and cultures represented in this collection. When I think of fairy tales and folklore, I think of German or Celtic stories. And there is a story or two from the Brothers Grimm. But there are also stories from Japan, Native Americans, and Africa. 

There are cute cat illustrations that are perfect for this anthology - they very much have the fairy tale and folklore vibe.

Whether you are a fan of cats or want something fun to read with the whole family for Halloween, you should add this book to your reading list. Unfortunately, it looks like it is only available to my UK readers. 

Buy The Cat's Tale at Amazon UK

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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