Last week, ArtsHub listed 10 books – mostly for adults – where cats were the main protagonists or played a major role in the narrative. This time we’re showcasing books specifically for young adults/children where these furry pals reign supreme.
John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat by Jenny Wagner, illustrated by Ron Brooks An elderly woman, Rose, lives alone with an English sheepdog called John Brown. For a time it was just the two of them until a black cat ‘with eyes that shine like lamps’ disturbs their household. Is he a benign or malevolent force?
Thuy On is the former Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the Books Editor of The Big Issue for 8 years and a former Melbourne theatre critic correspondent for The Australian.
She has three collections of poetry published by the University of Western Australian Press (UWAP): Turbulence (2020), Decadence (2022) and Essence (2025).
Threads: @thuy_on123 Instagram: poemsbythuy
