Not all monsters are dangerous and mysterious. Some are tiny, and manageable. This book has the cutest basilisk that I have ever seen, and one that doesn't trigger my snake phobia.

Suri, an orphan that travels with a merchant caravan, loves studying monsters. Her dream is to one day go to the Cat's Cradle, a place for monsters, and . She has been annoying the caravan leader by poking around a caged monster that he is keeping for a prince to hunt. After a chance encounter with a Catsiths, however, a type of shapeshifter known for their tail, Suri ends up with a dragon tooth and a ball of golden twine. The monster gets loose... and bonds with her. So does its previous owner.

It did feel that a lot of book one was setup for the next installments. I do want to know what Suri's next plan is, and how they are going to outrun a prince in need of a hunt, as well as shapeshifters that wanted her dragon tooth. She has the makings of a Monster Tamer, with a heart of gold and the fastest legs anyone can see.

Jo Rioux is a wonderful artist.
This children's story is sweet, fun and full of character. I do feel bad for the caitsints(?)

The facial expressions are great. The tone of the story feels jovial, yet spooky. It's a great sweet spot.

I can't wait to continue the story.

I loved this! I thought the art style was incredibly cute and the circus setting was fun and imaginative.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you for approving me for this title! However, I unfortunately was unable to download/read this book prior to it being archived on Netgalley. I hope to read and review this book on my own soon, and hope to read other books from this author and publisher. Thanks again!

This series is set in an old-time circus/carnival atmosphere, and the author did a great job capturing the atmosphere and the mannerisms of the time. The characters were a bit confusing when determining who was who, and the book was rather short, so I'll look forward to see how the story continues and unravels in following books.

I think this would be an enjoyable read for middle grade and high school students who enjoy horror-lite, as well as an element of fantasy.

Mouse is an orphan who spends her time on the outskirts of a traveling circus. She loves reading about fiarytales and wants to grow up to be a monster. Soon she is caught up in someone else's adventure and she sees the opportunity to make her long held dreams come true.
The art work in this graphic novel was phenomenal. I loved the story and the characters. I will definitely continue reading this series.

I have been a fan of Jo Rioux for a long time so I am so pleased to see their graphic novel finally released! Cat's Cradle is so beautiful and heart-warming and fun.

I loved it!
I was expecting something far more childish, but I found a funny and interesting story about a girl who doesn't belong, bad monsters, cute monsters... If you like things that make you remember Over the garden wall or Hilda, this comic is for you.

Fantasy adventures are well suited to the graphic novel format and this one fits neatly into that niche. Rioux combines the wiley humor of Nimona with the contemplation of The Last Unicorn. Suri, our protagonist, is an independent girl determined to make her dreams come true regardless of what anyone else thinks. Through happenstance and a bit too much curiosity, she finds herself on a classic fantasy quest. She's a charming, likeable character and the plot has enough foreboding and promise of things to come to keep the reader engaged. It's not an especially deep read but is a solid example of graphic novel series well suited to the middle grade audience.

Suri is an orphan who travels with a merchant camp. For a small fee she will regale any who listen with tales of monsters, monster hunting, and lore. She even aspires to tame a monster of her own, but no one pays her any mind. When a new wagon joins the caravan, Suri cannot control her curiosity and finally gets her chance to meet a monster and so much more than she bargained for. With mysteries, new friends and plenty of adventures Jo Rioux's trilogy is shaping up to be a really good one!

I loved Cat's Cradle, and much like Daughters of Ys, the artwork is rich and fun. I adore Suri's plucky attitude and her bold curiosity. The monsters are designed well and I hope to see so many more as the series continues. I will be putting this in the hands of so many this Fall. Great read!

Although I have no idea what the difference between the original publication and the reissue is besides 10 years time and a new cover, I really enjoyed this cute, quick read. The main character is adorable. I'm a bit sad that the book ends on a cliffhanger with no sign of sequels. I hope that this reissue means that more books in this series will come soon.

A delightful and fast-paced graphic novel. The illustrations are well done and draw you into the story. Suri is a very likeable main character who you are willing to get behind and hope she succeeds. It may have been a bit short. I look forward to the next instalment.

I really enjoyed this! It's funny, it's adventurous, and it's full of mysterious goings-on. This is a good adventure story, with all the right elements: a clever orphan who knows how to get by in the world, lots of humor, some scary moments, monsters, both fearsome and nice but misunderstood, and a quest. The artwork is lovely, and newly revised for this 10 year anniversary edition. I look forward to the next volume!

I really enjoyed this! It's funny, it's adventurous, and it's full of mysterious goings-on. Suri is a young orphaned girl who travels with a band of merchants, beloved by them all (except their leader, Leon). She loves monsters, and carries a monster guidebook with her always, so she can some day become a great monster tamer. One day, a strange little man shows up at the camp with a large monster he's looking to sell. Word reaches the Prince of the land, who is coming the next day to buy the monster so he can hunt it. Suri, with a group of other kids, sneaks a peek at the monster; a kerfuffle happens, and Suri inadvertently picks up a ball of golden twine which belongs to a family of caitsiths, cat-like shape-shifting monsters who want it back very much. When the family pursues Suri trying to get the ball of twine away from her, the monster breaks out to save her. Meanwhile, with the monster gone, the merchant camp decides to leave, fearing repercussions from the Prince when he finds no monster to be had. Poor Suri is left behind, and decides to go off with the little man (who is actually a monster) and the monster to visit the Monster's Gap in search of a giant, because why not?
This is a good adventure story, with all the right elements: an clever orphan who knows how to get by in the world, lots of humor, some scary moments, monsters, both fearsome and nice but misunderstood, and a quest. The artwork is lovely, and newly revised for this 10 year anniversary edition. I look forward to the next volume!

#NetGalley

I thought this was a wonderful MG graphic novel, with great art! The story was really interesting. I would definitely recommend this GN to anyone who thinks it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine by Jo Rioux is a middle grade fantasy graphic novel, and the first in a new trilogy. I first saw Rioux's artwork when I read The Daughters of Ys (written by MT Anderson), and I was absolutely enchanted by her style. When I saw she was releasing a graphic novel she not only did the art for but also wrote I knew I had to read it.

This is a really solid introduction to her new trilogy. Cat's Cradle is set in a magical world where monsters are real and people make them, hunt them, tame them, or fend off their attacks. The story follows Suri, a vibrant young girl who travels with a circus/festival to earn her income, as she tries to become a monster tamer and gets involved in far more than she expects. It has a great fairy tale vibe to it, and the worldbuilding really hits the spot. Suri is easy to root for, and I can't wait to see what happens next. The book is short enough that I feel like I can't entirely comment on where it's going until I've read the complete trilogy, but it's very promising so far, and it is well worth the read.

I would definitely recommend Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine for anyone looking for a fun middle grade fantasy series with great art and worldbuilding. I'm seriously looking forward to the next volume!

Excellently illustrated and a staple of consistency in innovation and technique from this excellent graphic novelist! I can't wait to see what comes next.

Suri is an orphan who has shirked normal jobs in her quest to become a monster tamer. She travels with a band of nomads whose leader likes to deal in monsters and has no room for a girl who can’t do a normal job. When a band of deadly caitsiths steals into the midst of the nomadic group unawares, only Suri realizes the truth and that accidentally. She also accidentally steals the leader’s big monster set aside for the Prince. Can Suri save the day with her skills, or is she just going to end up a lonely orphan?

This ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I want book 2 now! The only thing revealed is the nature of the big monster the village leader has “caught.” Suri is a likable street waif with a good dose of spunk and is fun to follow around on her misadventures. There’s a delightful humorous tone to the story, especially the open secret in the village of Suri’s whereabouts while the leader hunts hither and yon for her. The monster also turns out to be delightful, and the caitsiths are interesting mythical creatures I’ve never encountered before that provide a good amount of suspense to the story. Overall, a delightful fantasy graphic novel adventure for middle grade readers on up (though you may want to wait for book 2 to come out to avoid the pain of waiting for the cliffhanger to resolve).

Notes on content [based on the ARC}: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. There’s violence threatened, but only an annoying crow killed (and that is implied by flying feathers).

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

3.5 stars. Thanks for the review copy Netgalley - I think this book was originally published in 2012, but looks like it's getting republished this year with First Second. This is about a young girl travelling with a merchant camp telling monster stories, and hopefully one day catching/taming them when she finally gets her opportunity! The art is adorable (although reads a little younger than YA, closer to Middle Grade) and I was just starting to get in to the story, when it ended - will have to wait for volume 2 to come. Perfect for someone who likes monster stories, but not scary!