Trim Helps Out

Illustrated by Kristy Caldwell
One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.

Trim is eager to do a good job on his first day as ship’s cat—but what is his job? All around him, members of the crew are busy with their responsibilities—too busy to notice a small kitten looking for an opportunity to contribute. Jack the parrot directs Trim to the hold, to patrol for rats. But Jack neglects to tell Trim exactly what a rat is. Surely Princess Bea, the new friend he meets below deck, isn’t a rat. She doesn’t resemble the creepy, scary-looking creature that Jack warned Trim about and she’s happy to have an assistant to fetch her biscuits from the galley.
Deborah Hopkinson is the award-winning author of more than seventy nonfiction and historical fiction books. Her writing and programs help bring history and research to life for readers. She holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts and the University of Hawaii and lives in Oregon with her family and a menagerie of pets.

Kristy Caldwell is an illustrator from Louisiana, based in Brooklyn. Her first picture book, Flowers for Sarajevo, was a Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2017. She also has a history of providing graphic art to theater companies and is married to director Kelly O’Donnell.
"Color-and-line illustrations are as lively and engaging as the narrative, which boasts enjoyable action and suspense."—Kirkus Reviews

About

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.

Trim is eager to do a good job on his first day as ship’s cat—but what is his job? All around him, members of the crew are busy with their responsibilities—too busy to notice a small kitten looking for an opportunity to contribute. Jack the parrot directs Trim to the hold, to patrol for rats. But Jack neglects to tell Trim exactly what a rat is. Surely Princess Bea, the new friend he meets below deck, isn’t a rat. She doesn’t resemble the creepy, scary-looking creature that Jack warned Trim about and she’s happy to have an assistant to fetch her biscuits from the galley.

Author

Deborah Hopkinson is the award-winning author of more than seventy nonfiction and historical fiction books. Her writing and programs help bring history and research to life for readers. She holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts and the University of Hawaii and lives in Oregon with her family and a menagerie of pets.

Kristy Caldwell is an illustrator from Louisiana, based in Brooklyn. Her first picture book, Flowers for Sarajevo, was a Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2017. She also has a history of providing graphic art to theater companies and is married to director Kelly O’Donnell.

Praise

"Color-and-line illustrations are as lively and engaging as the narrative, which boasts enjoyable action and suspense."—Kirkus Reviews

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