'Reading this book is pure joy.' -- The Scotsman 'A book to be read aloud and enjoyed by adults and children alike.' -- Shelf Life, Summer 2002 'The theme of the book is the power of narrative. Living as she does for story making, Jenny projects her skill on to Fankle. The village schoolchildren are asked to write about Fankle, and their efforts make up the central chapter of the novel. There is stimulus here for readers' own writing. Mackay Brown modulates the mood delicately -- amusing, roistering, and touching. Underlying there is a wistful reminder that all lives, not only Fankle's, are brief and that humans, unlike cats, have only one.' -- Treasure Island: A guide to Scottish fiction for young readers aged 10-14, Summer 2003

George Mackay Brown (1921-96) was a poet, novelist and dramatist, who spent his life living in and documenting the Orkney Isles. He found inspiration from the culture, land and oral tradition of the islands. He published almost 50 works including the novel Greenvoe and poetry collection The Storm. Six Lives of Fankle the Cat is one of three books he wrote for children.