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THE NINE LIVES OF JACOB TIBBS

Gerald Kelley Cylin Busby

In the tradition of all the great animal tales—and sure to please cat-lovers in particular—this is the story of Jacob Tibbs, a small kitten who embarks on an adventure aboard a ship sailing across the Atlantic. In the company of his mother, Mrs. Tibbs, a most knowledgeable and respected mouser, Jacob is kept under the protection of the ship’s captain, but when the ship encounters a terrible storm on the high seas, Jacob discovers that he will have to fend for himself and take on an important job on the ship.
Captain Natick does not want to take a kitten on board his ship when it sets sail in 1837, but his daughter convinces him that the scrawny yellow cat will bring good luck. Onto the ship the kitten goes, and so begins the adventurous, cliff-hanging, lucky life of Jacob Tibbs. At first, Jacob’s entire world is the ship’s hold, where the sailors heave their heavy loads and long-tailed rats scurry in the darkness. But before long, Jacob’s voyage takes him above deck and onward to adventure. Along the way, Jacob will encounter loss and despair, brave thunderous storms at sea, face down a mutiny, survive on a desert island, and above all, navigate the tricky waters of shipboard life and loyalties. CYLIN BUSBY is the author of several fiction and nonfiction books for young readers. Her memoir, The Year We Disappeared—co-written with her father, John Busby—was a Wall Street Journal bestseller, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Cybils Award winner. While living on a farm in Tennessee, Cylin’s family kept more than twenty cats in the barn, whose job it was to keep the livestock feed free of vermin. The cat in this book is based on one of those cats—Graybeard—who was born a feeble, sickly runt and went on to become a great mouser. Cylin lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their son. Learn more about Cylin at cylinbusby.com.
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Published 2016-02-02 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Comments

An absorbing historical coming-of-age adventure supported by deeper themes of grief, despair, and determination. Read more...

Rarely does a book come along that I finish and think, ‘This is going to be a classic.’ This is that book.

With engrossing action and great character description and development, Busby has created a story that will enthrall fans of animal fantasy. Kelley’s full-page drawings add to this well-crafted tale, which many readers may come to treasure.

Original, surprisingly intense…. A beautiful piece of writing.

In addition to giving Jacob an engaging narrative voice, Busby fills the novel with nautical lore and lingo, making Jacob’s journey one to savor. Read more...

Author Cylin Busby has written a historical novel that can bridge the gap between readiness and understanding…. The prose has the feel of a classic, and the story itself is full of adventure and peril with a highly likable hero. Read more...

Emotional resonance and chockablock seafaring adventures combined with coming-of-age themes takes this over the top…. An outstanding choice for fans of middle grade nautical adventure and animal narrator novels. Read more...