3.5 stars. This was a fun retelling of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse and my son especially enjoyed seeing the ancient Egypt setting. The pictures are really cute and fun. The extra historical information at the end was informative. However something seemed to be missing to take the book from good to great. It was a fun read and my kids read it with me a couple different times, but it is not one I would feel compelled to rave about.

Kitty cousins Cleo and Cornelius are living the good life in Egypt. Golden amulets and being treated like gods and goddess? Yeah, sweet. But a boat and barrel of fish catch Cornelius’ eye and soon he’s sailing away. But maybe eating that fish, or sailing, or eating that fish while sailing wasn’t such a good idea. Cleo desperately tries to join him but doesn’t quite leap far enough – to the annoyance of a passing hippo.

Clever Cleo, bored with five meals and six naps a day, misses her cousin. Then she has a brilliant idea. Soon she’s in Rome too with Cornelius showing her the sights. She’s a fearless chariot driver at the Circus Maximus channeling her inner “Ben Purr.” But there’s also the theater and Roman baths to see as well as playing pounce.

Heading back to Egypt, they arrive just in time for the festival of Bastet. Cleo, being a native, can of course ♪ “walk like an Egyptian.”♫ Will our cousins settle back into their pampered life or has the lure of adventure caught them?

This is darling. Seriously, OMC darling. I just want to pick Cornelius up and cuddle him while I’m sure I’d be shooing Cleo away from my curtains then trying to keep her entertained. Read it for the cute cats then go back and look for all the details. Then read it again. A

I adore this cute introduction to some facts about the histories of Egypt and Rome aimed at young children. The illustrations are detailed and there is a section in the back to help adults expand on what is seen on their journey. Any budding historian will enjoy it.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this children's fiction eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here are me honest musings . . .

cleo and cornelius: a tale of two cities and two kitties (Elizabeth Nicholson, Janine Pibal, Nick Geller, Michelle Thies)

Title: cleo and cornelius: a tale of two cities and two kitties

Authors: Elizabeth Nicholson, Janine Pibal, & Nick Geller

Illustrator: Michelle Thies

Publisher: Getty Publications

Publication Date: Tomorrow! (hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1947440036

Source: NetGalley

The recommend age for this yarn be 3 - 5 years of age.  But I firmly believe I should be allowed to read whatever I want and this captured me fancy for five reasons:

1. cats;
2. history;
3. illustrations;
4. the cool title; and
5. it was said to be a town mouse / country mouse retelling.

Sign me up!  Apparently the book was:

"inspired by the exhibition Beyond the Nile: Eqypt and the Classical World at the J. Paul Getty Museum.  The exhibition explores artistic and cultural exchange among Egypt, Greece, and Rome from the Bronze Age through the decline of the Roman Empire."

The exhibit has over 200 artifacts and some of them show up in the pages of this book!  That's pretty neat.  As the exhibit is in Los Angeles through September 9th and I be on the opposite U.S. coast, it doesn't seem likely that I will get to see this exhibit in person.  But ye can check out some of the pieces on display by clicking here to see the selected works on the museum's website.

While the book illustrations are truly lovely, there isn't much of an actual plot.  I didn't really get a town mouse / country mouse vibe at all.  Both cats are from Egypt and visit Rome.  It isn't a cat from each city sharing it with the other.  I believe I would have preferred that (or is it purrfurred?  hardy har har!).  But I do believe children would like the illustrations and if they are in the projected age range then they likely are readin' this with the help of an adult anyway.  I, of course, liked the "Notes to the Reader" section with additional facts about the time period.  So overall the illustrations are what makes this read worthwhile.  The story - not so much. 

So lastly . . .

Thank you Getty Publications!

Goodreads has this to say about the book:

Adventurous Cleo and couch potato Cornelius live in ancient Egypt, where cats are worshipped like gods and goddesses. After Cornelius accidentally boards a boat departing on a voyage across the sea, Cleo and Cornelius find themselves in the faraway city of Rome, a place where dogs are treated like kings.  In Rome, the activities never end! Cleo and Cornelius race chariots, play games, perform in a theater, and more. Do they even want to return to Egypt? A spin on Aesop’s classic fable “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,” Cleo and Cornelius is teeming with hungry hippos, toga-clad dogs, and dancing cat mummies, bringing new excitement to a timeless tale.

To visit the authors' websites go to:

Elizabeth Nicholson - Author

Janine Pibal - Author

Nick Geller

To visit the illustrator's website go to:

Michelle Thies - Illustrator

To buy the book please visit:

cleo and cornelius: a tale of two cities and two kitties - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Cleo and Cornelius is reminiscent of the fable “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” as the story follows two cat cousins living in Ancient Egypt. After Cornelius sets off on a ship bound for Ancient Rome, the two cats learn that life in Rome is very different than their home.

This is a great book that kids will love and would make a good companion book to “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse". I love that there are real landmarks within the story/illustrations and the afterward provides information about life in Ancient Egypt & Rome that extends the importance of the setting. The facts at the end of the book also provide insight into what life was like in Ancient Egypt/Rome and could be great for comparing how cats are treated today vs Ancient Egypt/Rome.

Cleo and Cornelius are cats in Ancient Egypt enjoying the good life. Cornelius goes on a boat bound for Rome and finds adventure there. Cleo at first is content to stay in Egypt, but she misses Cornelius and eventually ventures to Rome to find her friend.

This is inspired by a Getty museum exhibit and Aesop’s fable “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,” but it is really its own story. Cleo and Cornelius are good friends with different temperaments. You get to learn a bit about Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome in an entertaining way as they have their adventures. Do read the information in the back of the book, which has loads of info on Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome from how they really treated cats and dogs to trade routes between the two cities. Those back pages also reveal a hidden picture element related to real ancient pieces of art from the Getty Museum’s exhibit just waiting to be found throughout the story that kids should enjoy. Definitely a great resource for classes studying Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome as well as a fun read for historical fiction fans and cat lovers.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely, well illustrated book that features two cousins Cleo and Cornelius. The two cats have a great adventure exploring ancient Egypt. A great book with lots of interesting historical facts. Highly recommended.

This bright, colourful new take on the familiar fable 'Town Mouse and Country Mouse' provides an introduction to Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt and the importance of animals in these 2 periods.
In the story, pampered Cornelius accidentally ends up on a boat to Rome where he finds that cats are not quite as important as they are in Egypt. Cleo, keen to find her cousin sets out on an adventure of her own and enjoys the search for Cornelius, and loves learning about life in Rome. As they return home on the boat, will they both be content to return to their lives of luxury in Egypt?
The pictures are bright and colourful and could be used to provide an introduction to graphic novels and using pictures to further tell a story. The story would be a great route into teaching Ancient Egypt and/or Rome and how many cultures find animals important.
There is interesting vocabulary used, but the context in which it is written makes it easy to understand and provides an engaging alternative to compare to the familiar fable.

Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to access this exciting picture book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Kimble format was very hard to read and did not seem organized in one complete story, but rather several wandering ideas. The illustrations and colors were beautiful, though!

Finn thinks
Do you like this book?
Yeah because I just like kitties.

What's your favorite part of the book?
I like the parts with the kitties and the doggies. And the mummies! In puppy dog pals there is a mummy!

What do you think of the cover?
I like kitties. It's so cute!

Do you want me to read it again?
I just want the book. I hope we get it soon.


Momma Thinks

Cleo and Cornelius is an adorable book about two kitties who go on adventures. The illustrations are really cute and it looks like an interesting book.

That is sadly the only thing I could gather about this book, because we received an ARC copy on kindle to review. However, the pages were cut in half, and out of order. So it was incredibly difficult to read. What we got of it, it seems cute though.

Cleo and Cornelius, cat cousins, explore the fun of ancient Egypt with visually appealing and downright adorable illustrations in this furry tale of friendship and fun!

Cute and laugh-out-loud fun. Cleo and Cornelius is a hilarious romp through ancient history with two witty kitties and a splash of history. I loved the illustrations and how they led you through the story with no words needed at times. I also loved the banter between these frolicking felines. The story was well done in every way. The end of the book contained a good overview of historical facts and complimented the book well. I think this book would be a great addition to a child's exploration of ancient history. I hope there are more books to come covering other civilizations!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cleo and Cornelius offers a fresh take on the traditional tale of the the Town Mouse and Country Mouse. This fun story keeps the reader engaged with a mixture of historical facts and fanciful fantasy. The illustrations are extremely well-done, and the factual information included at the end of the book is a great way to finish the book.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute book with wonderful illustrations. The cats are in anciet Egypt and Rome. It gives a good look at those times in period in a fun way that kids will enjoy. I think it's a fun.

Cleo and Cornelius is the adorable tale of two kitties living in ancient Egypt. One day Cornelius accidentally winds up on a ship destined for Rome. Though Rome is more given over to dogs, Cornelius finds the city marvelous. Meanwhile, Cleo finds herself bored. Missing Cornelius, she sets off to find him. Cleo ends up in Rome as well, and loves all the adventure to be found. There are baths to visit, and chariot races. They even perform in a play! When it's time to go home, Cleo is sad. She loves all the adventure to be found. Cornelius is just happy to be back home. Cleo ends up journeying back to Rome for more fun.

This was a cute way to show different personalities, and how they shape our choices. Cornelius is clearly an introvert, and Cleo an extravert. Those terms are never explicitly used of course, and I could be reading too much into a children's story. At the end is a section about history and culture, putting things in better context. That's written in a more adult language, but is great for discussion points. The artwork is just gorgeous. My cubs and I loved the book, especially all the cats and dogs doing human things amidst the humans. We've made plans to try and visit the Getty Museum thanks to this.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Getty Publications for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I bet you've never truly given much thought to cats in ancient times. Sure, most everyone knows that cats were greatly revered back then but how does that play into our history? Cleo and Cornelius are cat cousins in Egypt who, left to their own devices, each find their way to Rome... and I'll leave it at that!

The storyline is cute, giving the reader a bit from the narrator's point of view as well as first-person dialogue of the cousins. The story is easy to follow and is just wobbly enough to capture the reader and make it a page turner! (You just WANT to know what's going to happen!) This is a clever original adaptation of the classic Aesop fable The Town Mouse and Country Mouse.

The illustrations are just as clever and are central to the storyline as a whole, many working in comic book, smaller scale fashion, to move the story along. So much to see and details to notice, exactly the type of pictures that envelope children while being read to or while snuggled into cushy spot reading on their own.

And, as if the story and illustrations weren't already enough- there's more! Following the story are two pages of detailed information about the historical time & culture. Photographs of museum pieces are scattered along the bottom and cited for their home museums. For the overachievers, these pieces can be suggested as a "seek & find" activity for the next time the book is reread!

With oh so very many books available about ancient Egypt & Rome, it was a delight to read one that's truly fun. Children will make friends with Cleo and Cornelius as the pages are opened. Who will they align with, Cleo? Cornelius? Where would they most like to live, Egypt? Rome? Why? What do you see along the route that they travel?

This would be an excellent addition to library and school bookshelves, and a fantastic way to lighten the mood a bit when creating a unit study about Egypt and/or Rome. Homeschoolers and grandparents alike could make this a gift that unlocks a world from yesterday for budding archeologists and kids itchy with wanderlust.

CLEO AND CORNELIUS is a very funny retelling of an Aesop fable, with two cats as travelers in a beautifully illustrated book from Getty Publications.

The kitty cousins live in Egypt, where felines are venerated. Cornelius finds himself on a ship by accident to Rome, where the world is different and dogs are king. Spirited Cleo, worried for her cousin, finds her way there too and oh the adventures they have! They act in a theater, race chariots and encounter toga-clad dogs. Missing home, though, they return to Egypt, wiser for the journey, although adventurous Cleo is soon off again. Includes brief descriptions of Egyptian and Roman cultures in an end section ... a wonderful intro for young readers to ancient cities. 5/5

Grateful to Getty Publications and NetGalley for the early read. Opinions are mine.

#CleoAndCornelius #NetGalley

A retelling based on "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" - Cleo and Cornelius and cat cousins living in Egypt until one day Cleo ventures off to Rome. The two cats meet up once again and find ways to appreciate both areas and lifestyles.

I really enjoyed the illustration of the body language and little character speech bubbles. I was smiling through most of this book!

Cleo and Cornelius are two cousins, both cats, who live in ancient Egypt. When Cornelius decides to take a trip to Rome, Cleo soon follows suit. In the end, they both have to decide which place they want to call home.

The story is apparently based on the fable "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse". However, in contrast to that traditional tale, I didn't feel any conflict, or any real story, which was a huge shame, because in other ways it's a beautiful book packed full of fun facts about life in Ancient Roman times.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning, with beautiful colours and intricate details of Egyptian and Roman life.

The book is packed full of fascinating information, with extensive back matter written by experts in cooperation with the Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. I only question how age-appropriate the back matter is in a book aimed at young children. For parents it's certainly interesting!

A very cute story about two cats who travel to Rome. The pictures are very cute.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.