BELLA UP, UP, AND AWAY

When her new pal accidentally drifts out to sea, a spunky cat attempts a daring rescue.

One summer day, Bella heads for the seashore, intent on adventure. Along the way, she discovers a fluffy gray cat named Claude waking from a nap in a rosebush and invites him to join her. At the beach, Bella actively chases a school of fish; Claude watches clouds. As Bella enthusiastically builds a sand castle, Claude falls asleep in a raft that slowly drifts away. When Bella hears Claude’s cries for help, she uses her wits to find a discarded kite, tucks the spool in her mouth, and sails upward with the wind to help him. Spying Claude below, she calls to him and drops the spool, causing her to fall and join Claude adrift in the raft. It takes a friendly dolphin to bring their adventure to an end. Smooth, digitally rendered, mixed-media illustrations evoke the seashore setting with hues of ocean blue, grass green, and cloud white, punctuated with the red of sailboats, raft, and kite. Amusing scenes of sleek Bella splashing in the water, constructing her sand castle, and flying with the gulls offer a different approach to adventure from those of portly Claude stretching after his nap, sleeping in the raft, and watching Bella soar above him.

A delightful nautical and aerial feline caper.