FANTASTIC!! I will absolutely be purchasing this book for my library. The story was unique and so much fun. I think a wide range of kids, teens, and even adults will love this read. Magical talking cats had me hooked right away, but I sped through this story as I couldn't stop thinking about it when I tried to put it down!

The Cats of Silver Crescent" by Kaela Noel is a charming middle-grade fantasy filled with whimsy and a touch of darkness. Twelve-year-old Elsby's summer takes an unexpected turn when she encounters a family of talking cats in Beatrix Potter-style clothing living next door. Drawn into their magical predicament, Elsby must navigate a world where feline companions quote T.S. Eliot and engage in both enchanting and perilous activities. Noel masterfully blends a sense of place, incorporating a cottage filled with antiques and old books, creating an atmosphere that lures readers in before taking a dark turn. The story explores themes of friendship, family, and the price of magic. With well-developed characters and a unique storyline, "The Cats of Silver Crescent" is a delightful read that captivates with its adorable yet cunning feline protagonists and the unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Elsby MacBride has to spend the summer with her Great Aunt Verity, an archaeology professor, in Snipatuit, Rhode Island when her mother, an art curator, needs to go to Los Angeles. It's a big change from New York City, and Elsby is apprehensive about staying in a cottage and fending for herself. It doesn't help when she catches sight of a cat in Beatrix Potter style clothing, and is later approached by four cats... who talk! The owner of Verity's, Rose, passed away suddenly, and the cats are living in her house. They are running out of food, and Rose, who was a librarian at the local Atheneum, told them to seek out a child if they ever needed help. Horatio, Clarissa, Marzipan, and Tapioca were all rescued by Rose, but they are vague about how they can talk, saying only that magic was involved. Elsby agrees to help, and manages to get to the local market to buy inordinate amounts of meat without Verity finding out. She does meet Penelope Perez at the Atheneum, and the two strike up a friendship. Elsby tells Penelope about the cats, and brings her to meet them. Marzipan is a poet who quotes T.S. Eliot, Tappy is grief stricken by Rose's death, Horatio seems content to just hang about, and Clarissa is evil. Really evil. She not only demands that Elsby help the cats, and never says thank you, but is engaged in studying dark magic. Elsby is leery of Clarissa's plans, so Clarissa manages to talk Penelope into helping the cats with a renewal spell. This spell might have hastened Rose's death, but Penelope is so enthralled by the thought of doing actual magic that she is willing to help. This causes the girls to have a fight, but when Elsby uncovers information about just how bad this magic is, she tries to save her friend. Luckily, help comes from an unexpected place. Will it be enough to keep Clarissa from hurting the girls?
Strengths: This had a great sense of place, and the cottage filled with antiques and old books, along with the cats in pinafores makes you think "Oh, how cute! Let's have tea with the cats!" BEFORE THEY KILL YOU. Whew. Elsby has some anxiety about her mother being away from her, but seems to do okay with this weird occurrence. I was glad that she had Penelope to help her, although that didn't work out too well. That dynamic tracks very well with middle school friendships, though. Verity was a great character, and used quite well. Despite the overall cute feel to this, it takes a dark, dark turn, with evil magic. Like this author's Coo, this is definitely an original middle grade novel!
Weaknesses: I would have liked to know more about Rose and the magic instead of Elsby's anxiety. There could be a whole novel about Rose and the cats in the 1970s. I'd read that.
What I really think: I thought this would be a bit like Waugh's The Mennyms (1993), which is one of my favorite magical realism titles, but it got dark in a way I didn't expect, rather like Saunders' 2013 The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop.

This was a sweet read and one I enjoyed immensely. I could see my daughter enjoying it and it reminds me of books that would have appealed to me when I was younger. A feel good book and a fun one to read!

The Cats of Silver Crescent are indeed quite special. Their mysterious circumstances and need for human help lead the reader on a very unique journey. With dry humor and suspense, it's easy to root for Elsby as she learns more and more about the cats. I was expecting a bit more coziness from the story, but it is still one that I would recommend, especially for lovers of spooky stories.

“The Cats of Silver Crescent” is an enchanting middle grade fantasy novel. A perfect book for cat lovers, and lovers of magic. It had a perfect mix of whimsy and mystery, that kept me turning to the next page. The family of talking cats are amusing in their differences and similarities with normal cats. Each cat had a different personality and ones I could recognize in cats I’ve met in my own life. I believe the young protagonist and narrator Elsby would be very relatable for young girls with creative interests or are animal lovers. Elsby also makes friends with a girl named Penelope and is, in my opinion, good representation for young girls on the autism spectrum. I enjoyed the themes of friendship and honesty that are part of the book, and the personal development that Elsby’s character undergoes because of her adventures with the talking cats. This was a fun read, I’d be interested to see what else the author may write.

If you love cats, you NEED to read this. A young girl discovering a group of talking cats living next door who need her help. There's magic, wholesome friendships, ghosts! A well rounded cute story that had me invested 'till the end.
Full review to come on YouTube

THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT by Kaela Noel is a cute, fun mystery tale about friendship and secrets. And talking cats, too!

What a fun and magical starter fantasy read for readers of all ages - but primarily younger readers! I really enjoyed the descriptive writing and imagination behind the cats in silver crescent and am hoping there are many more adventures with Aunt Verity, Elsby, and Penelope! A great story with lessons around friendship and conflict resolution.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

3.75 Stars: One of my childhood fantasies was that my pets could talk to me, so a book that included talking cats went right to the top of my TBR list. Elsby, short for Elizabeth, has to stay with her Aunt Verity in a small Rhode Island town while her mother is on a work trip. Her attention is immediately captured by the beautiful backyard and she goes to explore right away. While there she sees a cat, walking upright on two legs, wearing clothes! She follows him but he slips away. She is not sure if she should say anything to her Aunt, and this begins her secret-keeping. The cats seek her out that night and let her know that their 'owner' had died recently and they needed her help, but she can't let anyone know about them. This story unfolds at the perfect pace and includes middle school awkwardness, budding creativity, friendship, trust, magic, good vs evil, and of course, talking cats!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was really sweet! I'm not apart of the targeted age group but I enjoyed the story a lot. I think younger readers would really enjoy this.

Kaela Noel's second middle grade novel is an absolute treat. A perfect mix of fun and foreboding, The Cats of Silver Crescent follows an endearing protagonist, Elsby, as she befriends a neighboring found-family of talking cats who are fighting to survive after the death of their human caregiver. Through her lyrical prose, Noel creates a rich world of childhood adventure and fairytale-like magic that embodies the cautious and curious exploration of pre-teen years. It's an absolutely wonderful book topped off by charming spot illustrations of the cats, who favor Victorian garb.

Thank you NetGalley and Greenwillow Books for an ARC.

This was such a fun middle grade novel! I love anything to do with cats, so even though I don't typically read a ton of middle grade, I was really excited to pick this up. This book has such a fun, whimsical atmosphere, and almost feels like a fairy tale. I really liked reading for Elsby's perspective, and I liked how all of the cats had distinct personalities.

Thank you to Netgalley and Greenwillow Books for the ARC
For fans of the Secret Garden or Studio Ghibli's The Cat Returns, The Cats of Silver Cresent is a perfect read. Kaela Noel crafts a heartfelt story about family and friendship under the backdrop of Victorian cats and the blurring of worlds. Elsby discovers that the cats next door living in her aunt's house have magical abilities, and from that moment, she is expected to keep this secret...
The cats acting as Victorian people brought so much whimsy and was a joy to read about. It would be perfect for any young reader who seeks magic in unlikely places.

From the gorgeously illustrated cover, I knew that The Cats of Silver Crescent would be the perfect cozy comfort read. Full of magic, friendship, talking cats, and subtle wit and humor, this is a story that I would've relished as a young reader, and that today's readers will love. Elsby is a charming and relatable protagonist, fulfilling every child's dream of finding magic in an ordinary and unwanted situation. She finds her strength as a writer through the experience of staying at her aunt's house, meeting the cats, and making a new friend in Penelope. I would love to read a sequel--wondering where the evil cat Clarissa goes, and what happens next, as Elsby and Penelope embark on their research into the world of ghosts and magic.

I tried a few times to really dig into this book and finish it. I just couldn't get there this time. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I know that this book will be loved by kids who enjoy a bit of a mystery, magic, and of course, cats.

This is a great book! I already put this in my store's cart to get several sets for my classroom as well. Thanks to Kayla Noel for such a fun read!

Deliciously mysterious and utterly charming. THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT is a book you just want to fall into, reveling in the lush and enchanting world Kaela Noel has imagined for us. This is the sort of fantasy I would have gobbled up as a child. An old-fashioned delight.

This book was....weird? It was a quick read and really took a turn I wasn't expecting from a kids book, but everything was tied up neatly at the end.

What worked:
It will be more difficult to enjoy this book if readers don’t like cats. Four of them are living in the home of Rose, Aunt Verity’s deceased landlord, but they’re able to walk and talk like humans. Each cat has its own personality with Marzipan being the most trusting and level-headed. Clarissa is the skeptical one as she’s pretty cold to the idea of Elsby helping them. She’s been studying magic for years and she’s very protective of her private room filled with unusual objects. Horatio loves literature so he’s often reciting poetry or Shakespeare and wishing for more books. Tappy is timid and shy and hopes that everyone can get along. The cats need Elsby’s help but they’re clearly keeping secrets from her.
Elsby doesn’t have many friends so she has some issues in that area. Her mom is across the country for work and Elsby’s only met her Aunt Verity a couple of times. Elsby’s best friend is away at camp so communication with her is difficult. Elsby is a little upset that her friend has made it even harder to contact her. Elsby’s friendship with the cats makes her feel better and wanted but she becomes a bit possessive about them. She’s envious and hurt when the cats seem to prefer another character. Elsby’s sensitive emotions add to her problems as she tries to learn more about the cats and the ritual they need her to complete.
The author develops suspense as she drops hints about the magic flowing through the town. The cats ask Elsby to help with an incantation and Marzipan tries to mention there are potential dangers involved. Clarissa quickly quashes that talk. Aunt Verity takes Elsby to visit a private library full of books on magic. She comments that Elsby needs to be careful because some malevolent spells may have been cast by evil mages. Elsby sometimes feels like someone is watching her and she learns that ghosts may be lurking around the town. All of these events prepare readers for magical moments late in the book and potential threats that await.
What didn’t work as well:
While magic is part of the story, it’s not clear exactly how it works. Preparations are made for the cats’ ceremony but they’re not shared with readers. Other spells aren’t described either so magic apparently happens but there’s little information about it. More details are shared late in the book but it would be nice if there had been more groundwork to prepare readers.
The final verdict:
Magic and cat lovers will enjoy this book as Elsby tries to help the animals and navigate friendship. Some characters and events are predictable but the mystery behind Rose and her magic will capture young readers. I recommend you give this book a shot.