Ooh I loved this book so much. Such an interesting concept. We are a cat household, so my daughter particularly enjoyed it. I love the artwork. Definitely reread.

The Graveyard Cat is such a unique and thoughtful picture book. I don't often come across children's books that address death and grief in a way that feels both approachable and comforting for young readers.

Recently, my own children have experienced the loss of their grandpa and a beloved family dog, which naturally brought up a lot of questions. Death can be such a difficult concept for small children to understand, so I appreciated how this story gently explores those feelings through the perspective of a cat. It creates a safe and relatable way to start important conversations with kids.

The ending especially touched my heart. I found myself tearing up when the mother and son brought the cat home. It was such a sweet reminder that while loss leaves a mark on us, love and connection can still find their way back into our lives.

My children would also be delighted that the cat was named Pickles. That was such a cute and memorable detail.

The only small thing my detail-oriented kids would point out is that the story mentions the fox having yellow eyes, but the illustration didn't appear to match that description. Young readers tend to notice those little details, so keeping the artwork aligned with the text helps maintain the magic of the story.

Overall, this is a beautiful, gentle book about grief, remembrance, and finding hope after loss. I would gladly recommend it to families looking for a meaningful way to discuss difficult emotions with young children.

This book very gently touches on death. The cat, whose owner has passed away, moves to the graveyard. But even the passing of the old woman is handled delicately and it doesn't actually say she died. The cat faces some trouble - having to find a way to feed itself, and facing the threat of a fox, a mother and son come to the graveyard regularly and eventually take in the cat. The book gives an opportunity to discuss sadness, but doesn't put you on the spot having to explain more than you want to. It would be good for any age, because younger kids will probably miss the fact that the cat's owner has died.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Graveyard Cat tells the story of a young cat whose owner becomes sick and “goes away.” Alone, the cat finds comfort in a nearby graveyard, quietly observing the people who come to remember their loved ones through the changing seasons.

I appreciated the gentle, reflective tone of the story and especially liked the thread of the cat longing for a name of its own. That detail made the ending particularly sweet and gave the story a sense of belonging and hope.

While I understood what the book was trying to accomplish, I found myself wanting a stronger emotional connection. Since it’s marketed as a story to help children navigate grief, I was hoping for a little more depth or a clearer takeaway that would naturally lead into discussion.

As a fourth-grade teacher, I’d give this a classroom 3/5. I think younger readers, especially cat lovers, will enjoy the quiet pacing and unique setting. For my own classroom, though, I tend to reach for books that invite a deeper conversation around grief, and this one didn’t quite get there for me.

Overall, a sweet story with a unique perspective that just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This children's book was a quick story about a cat left alone after her owner passes. She ends up living in the graveyard watching the people around her. Graveyards can be scary or unsettling, and this book depicts how different people visit them. Some cry, some sit and chat with their deceased loves ones, some celebrate life. The illustrations are beautiful and add a bit of whimsy to a heavy topic. While it is a heavy topic, it is written light-heartedly and of course has a HEA for the cat.

I think this would be a great book to introduce young kids to death and grief in a way that isn't overwhelming or dark. It could open the door for curious questions on an adult topic that everyone is touched by eventually.

This was a sweet little story about a cat who lost their home. This teaches children that grave yards aren't always scary and all kinds of people visit them. The illustrations are sweet as well. I defiantly recommend.

Such a heartfelt book about a cat who lives in a graveyard after her owner passes away. Loved the funny moments sprinkled throughout the book to make a graveyard seem not-so-scary to kids reading the book. Such a lovely picture book about a cat and family who met each other in a graveyard after they all lose a person close to them, and eventually create a new family dynamic by adopting the cat.

The Graveyard Cat

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

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The Graveyard Cat follows a cat searching for comfort and connection after losing the person who cared for them. According to the description, the story is meant to explore grief, loss, friendship, and family, but I struggled to connect those themes to what was happening on the page. While there were moments that hinted at those ideas, I never felt the emotional thread fully came together.

The illustrations were easily the strongest part of the book. They were expressive, beautiful, and often communicated the story more clearly than the text itself. Unfortunately, I found the writing difficult to follow. The opening felt incomplete, the transitions between events were confusing, and the overall flow never quite settled into a rhythm. While picture books don’t need to rhyme, I do think they benefit from language that reads smoothly aloud, and this one didn’t quite get there for me.

By the end, the story became a little clearer and ended on a hopeful note, but I still finished with questions rather than understanding. Because the book is marketed as a story about grief, I expected that theme to be more central and easier for children to recognize. Instead, I found myself relying on the illustrations to fill in the gaps left by the text. While the artwork is lovely, the storytelling itself didn’t quite come together for me, resulting in a 3⭐ rating.

Who Should Read This?
Readers who enjoy beautifully illustrated picture books featuring animals may appreciate this one, particularly if they don’t mind a story that’s more open to interpretation.

A moving picture book about death, grief, and hope, The Graveyard Cat by Lynn Davies sensitively addresses loss in an age appropriate way.

A cat loses her owner when she gets sick and goes away. She finds herself living in a graveyard observing all of the headstones and the people who come to grieve. Eventually, she makes a new connection and finds hope.

A beautiful picture book about grief, one of the standout parts for me was the diversity of people in the graveyard. Davies shows different funeral practices that are being observed by the cat as people come and go from the graveyard. I also appreciate the illustrations; they have a dreamy quality with blurry edges that enhances the atmosphere of the words. Also, the cat is really cute.

A gentle book perfect for a young audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the ARC of this picture book.

The Graveyard Cat is a beautiful and touching picture book. It touches lightly on death and how people grieve differently (crying, talking, sitting quietly, ect.) and would probably be a good book for a child experiencing some kind of loss. The artwork is gorgeous and the overall story is cozy, like a warm hug.

This was a cute, sweet, quiet story. It didn’t quite hold the attention of my two-year-old, so I think it would be better for a slightly older kid (maybe 3-5?).

For a moment, I wondered if the people who adopted the cat were related to the cat’s former owner, but then I realized that didn’t make much sense.

I wanted a little more from this in the end—I thought it would be spookier. Still cute though!

Sweet book with a happy ending. The art is beautiful with its soft colors. I like how it introduces the concept of grieving but in a soft, gentle way. The fact the cat finds a home at the end helps to round out the gentleness.

This book was excellent! It is an amazing way for caregivers to talk about death and grief, but also how life carries on once someone passes away, and how there is some measure of hope in what others leave behind in our memories. I hope that school libraries, hospital libraries, and public libraries of all kinds carry this book for it's valuable contribution to the KidLit genre of death/dying/grieving literature for caregivers. The cat is just so sweet, too.

When Cat's owner is moved to a care home, Cat finds themself living in the cemetery. A young boy notices the cat, but so does a fox. After a final close call, the cat is rehomed to live with the boy and finally has a name of her own. This book is beautifully illustrated in a way that enhances the story for the reader.

The cat's old lady isn't there anymore, though she doesn't know where she went. The cat stalks the graveyard, watching people visit graves, or finding food and shelter for herself.

At first, I wasn't entirely sure where this book was headed. I appreciated that it normalises spending time in a graveyard, I've always found them peaceful places but I have also met several people who do not like going there. Visiting the deceased doesn't always have to be done in sorrow. The wee cat's story does feel rather sorrowful though as you gradually understand what is happening. The cat lover in me definitely liked the turn things took and this ended up being a lovely little book. Although I wasn't sure about the clarity of this tale, my five-year-old did confirm that he understood the story.

An adorable little books for little ones who like spooky stuff or around Halloween. I would have loved it as a child. The art is beautiful and the storyline is brilliant.

A cat wanders a graveyard, and then finds a new home with a family that frequents that cemetery. The story handles the theme of death in a subtle and understated way, and telling the story from the cat's perspective was a great choice. The story itself is simple and straightforward, and the emotional impact lies in the feelings and experiences that you bring to the book.

The illustrations are atmospheric without being dark or creepy, and I liked the thought that the author put into selecting names for the gravestones. This is a well-written and touching story, and it is great for families who want to open up natural conversations about death and loss. The story isn't preachy and doesn't try to guide the reader to any predetermined conclusions, but gently creates space for an often taboo conversation.