Kitty and the Great Lantern Race

Meow!

Will you answer

the call for adventure?

Dedication

For Henry and his favorite cats, Max and Evie—P. H.

For Clare and Lizzie, the best team!—J. L.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Meet Kitty & Her Cat Crew

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Super Facts About Cats

About the Author

Back Ads

Copyright

About the Publisher

Meet Kitty & Her Cat Crew

Kitty

Kitty has special powers—but is she ready to be a superhero just like her mom?

Luckily, Kitty’s cat crew has faith in her and shows Kitty the hero that lies within.

Pumpkin

A stray ginger kitten who is utterly devoted to Kitty.

Figaro

Wise and kind, Figaro knows the neighborhood like the back of his paw.

Pixie

Pixie has a nose for trouble and whiskers for mischief!

Katsumi

Sleek and sophisticated, Katsumi is quick to call Kitty at the first sign of trouble.

Chapter

1

Kitty cut out two pointy cat ears and carefully stuck them on her paper lantern. She smiled, lifting the lantern up by its handle. Tomorrow evening all of Hallam City would celebrate the Festival of Light. There would be a huge parade through the city streets with a beautiful fireworks display at the end.

All around the classroom, children were making different sorts of lanterns. Each one would have a candle-shaped light bulb placed inside. Kitty couldn’t wait to see them all shine in the dark like a mass of twinkling stars. She had made her lantern look like a cat’s face, using black and white paper and long whiskers made from black pipe cleaners. It looked a little bit like her cat friend Figaro!

Kitty had a special reason for making a cat-shaped lantern. She had amazing catlike superpowers, and she was training to be a real superhero. She often went out in the moonlight to have adventures with her cat crew, leaping and somersaulting across the city’s roofs. Kitty loved feeling her special powers tingling inside her. She also loved being with her cat friends, especially Pumpkin, the roly-poly ginger kitten who slept on her bed every night.

Emily, who sat across from Kitty in class, tapped her on the arm. “Look, Kitty! Do you like my butterfly?” She showed Kitty her lantern, which had bright purple wings edged with silver sparkles, and delicate green antennae.

“That looks beautiful!” Kitty said admiringly.

Emily beamed. “I can’t wait till tomorrow. The lantern parade is going to be amazing. My mom and dad are coming to watch with my aunt Sarah.”

Kitty’s heart sank a little as she remembered that her parents wouldn’t be there. Her mom, who was a superhero herself, would be working, and her dad didn’t want to keep her little brother, Max, up too late. But at least she would be with her school friends, and maybe the cat crew would come to watch, too!

“It’s going to be brilliant!” Kitty agreed. “I wonder who will win the prize this year.”

“I hope it’s someone from our class,” said Emily.

Every school in Hallam City took part in the lantern parade, and at the end, there was a prize for the best lantern. This year, the prize would be a magnificent crown decorated with a gleaming golden star. Their teacher, Mrs. Phillips, had brought the crown in to show them, and it was standing on her desk at the front of the classroom, glittering in the sunlight. They had worked extra hard on their lanterns once they’d seen how beautiful it was.

Mrs. Phillips clapped her hands. “The lanterns look wonderful, everyone! You may take them home with you today, but don’t forget to bring them to the festival tomorrow night.”

Kitty picked up her lantern by its handle and smiled. She couldn’t wait to show her lamp to her family and all her cat friends.

When darkness fell, Kitty switched on the candlelight bulb inside her lantern and placed it on her bedroom windowsill. She hoped lots of the cat crew would visit tonight. Then she could tell them all about the Festival of Light, and ask them if they’d like to watch her in the lantern parade.

She watched the moon rise, casting a silvery glow over the roofs of the houses. The sky darkened and the swaying tree branches sent shadows dancing across the walls. Hundreds of stars began to appear, glittering like tiny diamonds.

Pumpkin, who was curled up on Kitty’s bed, gave a huge yawn. “Aren’t you tired yet, Kitty?”

“Not yet!” Kitty smiled. “Do you think Figaro and the others will come to see us tonight?”

Pumpkin stretched and leaped onto the window seat to join Kitty. He nuzzled her arm before staring out at the dark. “I can’t see any sign of them. No, wait! Is there something by the top of that chimney?”

Kitty opened the window a little, and the night breeze ruffled the curtains. Her catlike superpowers rushed through her body, making her skin tingle. Using her special nighttime vision and super hearing, she peered into the dark. Suddenly everything looked sharp and clear, and she could hear dozens of tiny sounds, from a car whooshing past to a tiny moth fluttering beside a streetlamp.

She turned her attention to the distant rooftops. A black cat with a white face and paws ran jauntily along the peak of a roof. Scampering in front of him was a fluffy white cat with bright green eyes.

“Figaro and Pixie are coming!” Kitty told Pumpkin, and the ginger kitten’s stripy tail swished excitedly.

“Good evening, Kitty!” called Figaro, when he reached her windowsill. “Well, that is a fine-looking lantern. Did you make it yourself?”

“Yes, I did! It’s for the Festival of Light tomorrow.” Kitty explained all about the lantern parade and the fireworks. “So I hoped you might come and watch me from a nearby rooftop.”

“I didn’t know there would be fireworks.” Pumpkin trembled and put one paw to his cheek. “Maybe II should stay here instead . . .”

“I don’t like them, either. They make such horrible bangs and crashes!” Pixie agreed. “Don’t worry, Pumpkin. I’ll stay here and look after you.”

“Fireworks are such a nuisance!” said Figaro, twirling his whiskers. “Perhaps I will also stay behind. But I hope you have a wonderful time in the parade, Kitty. Maybe your lantern will win that amazing prize!”

Kitty swallowed her disappointment. She should have remembered that lots of cats hated fireworks. But at least this way Pumpkin would have friends around to look after him. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get back,” she promised. “I think it’ll be a night to remember!”

Chapter

2

The following evening, Kitty fizzed with excitement as she joined the crowds of children taking part in the parade. The full moon shined brightly, and the streets were full of people. Long gold and red streamers hung between the lampposts, and glowing lamps dangled from the trees like magical golden fruit. A frosty breeze blew gently along the road, and Kitty zipped her coat up tight.

Emily linked arms with Kitty. “There are so many people here! And look at all these lanterns.”

Kitty spotted a train lantern and a unicorn one with a shiny horn. “There are so many different ones!” She smiled at her friend. “But I still think your butterfly lantern is the best.”

Mrs. Phillips called everyone over, and the parade began. Everyone lit their lanterns and together the crowd moved forward, the lights bobbing like an enormous, sparkly caterpillar. Spectators lined the streets, clapping as the group of children went past.

Kitty beamed. It was wonderful to be part of something so spectacular. She looked around at all the people and the lights. She wanted to be able to describe everything to Pumpkin, Pixie, and Figaro when she got home.

A movement on a nearby rooftop caught her eye. She glanced up and saw a black shape darting past a chimney. Moonlight reflected from a nearby satellite dish. When Kitty looked at the rooftop again, the figure was gone.

The parade moved on, reaching a bend in the road, and the streamers on the lampposts fluttered in the breeze.

“My watch is missing!” shouted a man in the crowd.

Kitty looked over at once. A gray-haired man was staring at his arm in shock. He checked his pockets before searching the ground around his feet.

“Where is it?” he cried. “I felt something brush against my arm, and then my watch was gone!”

“Maybe the strap broke and it fell off,” said the man next to him.

The gray-haired man shook his head vigorously. “No, I’m sure it didn’t! I bought it just last week, and the strap is very strong. I don’t understand it!”

Kitty frowned. It seemed very odd that someone’s watch would disappear like that. As the parade moved on, she watched the crowd carefully. Her night vision picked up every tiny movement in the darkness, and she used her super hearing to focus on any strange sounds.

She glimpsed a shadowy figure slipping past a shop’s doorway. Kitty tried to keep track of the shadow, but it seemed to melt away into the mass of people. A moment later, a woman in a furry white coat gave a terrible shriek. “My ruby necklace . . . it’s gone!”

Kitty dashed through the crowd. “What happened?” she asked the lady. “Could the necklace have fallen off?”

“I don’t think so.” The woman clutched her neck. “I felt something . . . like a brush of fur against my throat. Then I looked down and my precious string of red rubies was gone!”

Kitty looked around quickly. Everyone standing close to the lady looked just as confused as she did.

“My husband gave me that necklace when we got married, so it’s very important to me.” Tears formed in the woman’s eyes. “Who could have done such a horrible thing?”

Kitty held her lantern tightly. There was something suspicious about all this. The watch and the ruby necklace had both disappeared very suddenly, and that made her think it wasn’t an accident. But who had taken them . . . and how?

Kitty knew she wanted to help. She was a superhero in training, after all! Her stomach felt strange, as if there were moths fluttering inside it. Was this really a good idea? She didn’t have any of her cat crew to help her this time. Pumpkin and the others were far away at home. She would be investigating the missing watch and necklace all by herself. How would she manage it all alone?

She took a deep breath. Her superhero skills were needed right now, so she had to find a way! She remembered what her mom had told her the first time she went on a moonlight adventure: Don’t let fear hold you back. You’re braver than you think! She just had to do her best.

Kitty hurried back to Emily’s side. “A lady’s necklace has vanished, and I have to go and help,” she told her friend. “Would you look after my lantern?”

“Of course I will!” Emily took the cat lantern. “Will you be all right?”

Kitty smiled bravely. “Don’t worry about me! I’m going to look around and see what I can find out.”

“Good luck!” said Emily, her eyes wide.

Kitty slipped away from the crowd and into the shadows. Hiding behind a tree, she threw off her coat to reveal her cat superhero outfit underneath. Her cape unfurled in the night breeze. She was glad she’d put it on before going out tonight. It was always good to be prepared!

Pulling her superhero mask out of her pocket, she put it on and looked around in the gloom. Was the shadowy figure she’d spotted connected to the disappearing watch and necklace? She didn’t know for sure, but if she was right, someone could be stealing people’s belongings while they were busy watching the lantern parade.

If that was true, then it had to be someone very sneaky who could slip in and out of the crowd without anyone noticing. She had to stop them before they stole even more valuables.

Kitty felt a rush of energy. She darted over to a streetlight and shinnied up the post to get a better view. From there, she could see over the top of the crowd. The parade was moving on, and dozens of lanterns bobbed up and down in the darkness. The spectators clapped and the red and gold streamers flapped in the wind. Kitty frowned. Where was that strange figure?

Suddenly, she spotted a pair of amber eyes watching her from behind a mailbox on the other side of the street. A black mask covered the figure’s face, but her sharp eyes were full of mischief. Before Kitty could get a better look, the shadowy figure moved on, slipping through the crowd and dodging around lampposts.

Kitty’s skin tingled. She had a funny feeling deep down that she had just found the jewel thief!

Chapter

3

Kitty leaped down from the lamppost, landing gracefully on the pavement. The escaping thief darted through the crowd, jumping over trash cans. Kitty chased her down the street, her superpowers tingling through her body. The robber was still a long way ahead, but Kitty was sure she could catch her.

The thief glanced around, her eyes glinting. She laughed when she saw Kitty chasing her. Then she swooped into the crowd and snatched a handbag from a lady’s arm, before hiding behind the next lamppost. The lady clutched her shoulder and looked around in alarm.

“Hey!” cried Kitty. “Give that back.”

The thief ignored Kitty’s command. Slippery as a shadow, she vanished into the crowd and appeared again on the opposite side of the road.

Kitty ran even faster. Leaping onto a bench, she grabbed hold of a tree branch and used it to swing herself across the street. She landed neatly and kept on running. The thief was just ahead, dodging a trash can. Then she ducked behind a line of people and disappeared again.

Kitty looked around desperately and noticed something moving overhead. The robber had climbed a long drainpipe leading up the side of a building. Springing onto the rooftop, she turned and shook the handbag triumphantly at Kitty. A string of rubies glittered around her neck. Then she scampered across the roof, headed in the same direction as the lantern parade.

Kitty pulled herself skillfully up the drainpipe, one hand after the other. There was something really strange about this thief. She was very small and fast, and she seemed used to heights. She didn’t seem to care about how many people she robbed. Kitty was determined to catch the crook before she ruined the whole festival.

An icy wind spun across the rooftop, making Kitty’s cape swirl. She ran lightly along the ridge of the roof, following the thief as she jumped the narrow gap between two buildings. Below them the parade went on its way, and the streets were full of noise and laughter.

Kitty felt very alone on the rooftop. She thought of all the times her friends had helped her and cheered her on. She wished she had Figaro or Pixie or any of her cat crew to keep her company.

She took a deep breath. There must be a way to outsmart this villain. She might be planning to swoop down to the street and rob someone else in the crowd. Maybe Kitty could take a shortcut and catch the robber as she returned to the rooftop.

Kitty hid behind a chimney. Then, when she was sure the thief wasn’t looking, she climbed from a window ledge to the ground. Racing along the street, a little farther on she climbed back to the rooftop. If this plan worked, she could catch the robber by surprise! She peered down at the crowd, expecting to see the shadowy figure.

The crowd went on clapping. People’s voices drifted up from the street below. Kitty caught sight of Emily carrying the butterfly and cat lanterns. Kitty balanced at the edge of the roof, watching and waiting.

The parade was moving toward a brightly lit platform at the end of the street. The mayor of Hallam City stood waiting there, dressed in her best clothes. Kitty used her special vision to look more closely. The mayor was holding the golden crown—the prize for the best lantern—and its beautiful star decoration gleamed in the light. It would be given out during a special ceremony at the end of the parade.

A shadow moved on a rooftop right beside the platform. Kitty felt a flutter of alarm. How had the thief gotten so far without her noticing?

She darted along the ridge of the roof, her eyes fixed on the robber. Her cape flapped wildly as she leaped from one building to the next. She landed neatly, before running on past a row of chimneys.

The thief swung down a nearby drainpipe and made a graceful leap to the ground. Then she crept closer to the stage, prowling in and out of the shadows. Everyone in the crowd was smiling at the children in the lantern parade. None of them had seen the shadowy figure moving toward the platform.

The thief’s gaze was fixed on the mayor. Kitty’s heart sank. She must be after the golden crown!

With a burst of energy, Kitty ran faster than ever. The wind whistled past her ears and her cape streamed out behind her. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop. Then she swung down a drainpipe before dropping to the ground.

The thief crept up the platform steps. Her sharp amber eyes spotted Kitty at the edge of the crowd, and she laughed.

“Stop!” cried Kitty. “You can’t take the prize. You’ll ruin the whole festival!” But her voice was lost among the clapping and cheering of the crowd.

The robber tiptoed up behind the mayor, and for a second, Kitty got a clear view of the shadowy figure. There was something very familiar about her graceful movements and her pricked-up ears. Then the thief snatched the crown from the mayor before leaping off the platform and disappearing down an alleyway.

The mayor stared down in surprise at her empty hands. A murmur of shock swept across the crowd.

“What happened to the crown?” asked a woman close to Kitty.

“I think someone took it!” gasped the man next to her.

The parade came to a stop, and the children with the lanterns bumped into one another. Some of them pointed to the mayor as they passed along the bad news about the missing crown. A small boy with a dinosaur lantern burst into tears.

“It’s not just the crown that’s vanished,” one lady called out. “That thief took my handbag, too!”

“And my watch!’ shouted a man. “Maybe there’s a whole gang of robbers here tonight.”

The buzz of the crowd grew louder, and Kitty’s teacher, Mrs. Phillips, climbed the steps to the platform and talked hurriedly to the mayor. At last, the mayor stepped forward and held up her hand for quiet. “Please, everyone, stay calm! I don’t know what’s happening to our lovely festival, but I will do my best to find out.”

Kitty’s heart thumped. None of them had really seen the robber except for her. She had to find that thief and get the crown back! She peered down the alley where the crook had vanished. Then she straightened her superhero mask before running into the dark.