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.

The coziest of cozy fall-imbued stories. Now keeping in mind this is a middle-grade read, we're left with a beautifully crafted story that could get anyone in the autumn feels. Cats, magic, and adventure? Yes, please. Did I mention the cats TALK? It's a sweet tale of magic gone wrong and our main characters' journey to fix it. This time the deadline means the sweet little cats will pay the price! Intriguing in its own right, they also have a great fashion sense! The perfect makings of the story to withstand time. The melancholy our girl Elsby faces with her mom gone is something many will connect to immediately.

This book was soooo cute. I knew from the cover it was going to be adorable. But then I ended up falling in love with the characters and really enjoying the plot. Some of my kids are going to really love this.

An enjoyable middle-grade low fantasy, with a dash of wit and a hint of melancholy. Elsby, is a young girl who has to stay with her great aunt who she barely knows while her mom goes on a business trip in the hopes of securing a better job, with no free-lancing. While she is at her Aunt’s, 4 cats from the house next door (where a lady had passed away) come to visit Elsby and ask her for help. These cats are different from normal cats as they can talk, walk on hind-legs, and dress as if they popped out of a Beatrix Potter story. Elsby has always wanted a pet cat and she’s eager to help and to learn how these cats are able to talk and walk. The story is sweet and intriguing and each chapter begins with an illustration of a cat. This story is perfect for readers who enjoy cozy reads; talking animals; making friends; and a hint of adtenvure/suspense.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

PROS: Talking cats are kinda exactly my thing so I had to request this. The cats are definitely funny, but I connected a lot to the protagonist Elsby, who likes to write, but can only come up with first chapters <3. Friendship stories are also something I love, so I enjoyed that this focused on that, even if (or maybe because) it's super messy at times. It's also nice for it to really be a story about two lonely, kinda weird twelve-year-old girls.
CONS: I am a little biased, one of my all-time favorite middle grade series is about talking cats (including one also named Horatio!) and TCoSC just didn't live up to it). Plus, I misread the blurb and thought that the cats were kids turned into cats, not just talking familiars, but that's on me. Bookwise, I feel that Elsby could have been more of an active protagonist throughout the story. I also wanted Elsby and Penelope to connect a little more about their living situations - Elsby having only her mother and Penelope having to work at her family's business.
All together, it was cute though and I'd definitely hand it to any MG readers who like magic, writing stories or cats.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" by Kaela Noel is a delightful and heartwarming middle-grade novel that weaves a tale of friendship, family, and the enchanting magic of talking cats.

Eleven-year-old Elsby's summer takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a family of cats living next door, cats that are not your typical felines. These cats can talk, think, and even dress like humans, and they are in dire need of Elsby's help. As the story unfolds, Elsby finds herself on a magical adventure to assist her new feline friends in renewing the spell that gives them their unique abilities.

The novel beautifully explores themes of friendship, trust, and the magic that resides within each person. Elsby's journey is not just one of enchantment but also one of personal growth and self-discovery. The talking cats add a whimsical and charming element to the story, making it a perfect choice for readers who love animals and magical adventures.

Kaela Noel's writing is engaging and accessible, making it easy for young readers to become immersed in the story. The characters, both human and feline, are well-developed and relatable, and they bring depth to the narrative.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" is a standalone novel that will captivate readers with its blend of magic, friendship, and family bonds. It is a heartwarming and entertaining story that is perfect for middle-grade readers and fans of animal-centric tales like those by Kathi Appelt and Katherine Applegate. Kaela Noel has crafted a charming and memorable story that will leave a lasting impression on its readers.

Kaela Noel's THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT is brimming with charm, warmth, and the sparkle of magic. Just as she did with Coo, her 2020 debut, Noel has created a beautiful world filled with tender hearts, a touch of mystery, and a whole lot of wonder!

Elsby is a nervous child, prone to worrying about her mother and the dangers of the world around her. But when she goes to stay with her aunt in RI while her mother is off on a business trip Elsby finds herself facing very different kinds of peril, the kind that comes when cats can who talk, read, sew, and are dressed in victorian garb.

The heart of the story is pure heart. After the untimely death of their human, the cats need Elsby's help to gather food, books, and maybe something more they're not quite ready to tell her about. And kind Elsby is more than willing to do whatever she can to help the cats. But soon Elsby finds herself torn between jealously when the cats seem to prefer a new friend Elsby has made, and her growing sense that all is not as it seems.

Warm, witty, with just enough peril and mystery to keep the reader eagerly turning pages, THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT is a story to be treasured and shared with middle-grade readers who love a good yarn (yes, bad pun intended!)

I highly recommend this book to young readers and their adults too. It would make a fantastic class read aloud, and is the perfect book to curl up with under a warm blanket and get lost in a fantastic story!

Thank you to GreenWillow Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an E-Arc.

This cottagecore galore novel with erudite cats in clothes is a perfect cozy read for fans of talking animals the style of Beatrix Potter, fans of Jenn Reese’s A Game of Fox & Squirrels, and Katherine Applegate. A healer (Rose) leaves these cats alone to fence for themselves and they need food and books so they risk talking to a child (Elsby) to ask for help. Elsby is already an author-illustrator in progress. But there's more to do than get them Beowulf, recite Emily Dickson's poems, or play classical compositions. The tension comes from the need to recast the spell soon enough so the cats can continue to speak and live as humans. For that, they need a magician human like Rose.
Staying with family while single mom deals with work, and making new friends. Cozy fiction and a magical vibe.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this e-Arc.

A well-written middle-grade fantasy, with sly humor, great characterizations, and a few touches of gentle melancholy. A sequel seems to be hinted at and I hope that's the case, as I'd love to spend more time with these characters (and see how things pan out with Marzipan's poetry submissions!). Younger MG readers who like a cozy read with some gentle suspense will especially enjoy this book.

Elsby is an eleven-year-old who has to spend her summer with her great-aunt Verify. While exploring outside of Aunt Verify’s backyard she spots something unusual, Elsby saw a cat wearing clothes. What was even more unusual was that the cat was walking on only two legs and was holding a basket. Quickly Elsby learns that the next door cats are no ordinary cats and embarks on an adventurous journey complete with magic and ghosts. Elsby soon learns the cats are able to speak and are in need of her dire help.
The story is very intriguing and each chapter has an illustration of a cat. The characters are well developed and the book is as magical as gingerbread house. This book is perfect for a cozy read.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Book and Greenwillow Books for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review of the book received.