BOOKS

The Story Behind Pilgrim Cat

That fall of 2000, the day after Thanksgiving, our family went to Plimoth Plantation. We got there very early and a nice interpretative guide spent a lot of time with Elizabeth and Katherine. First she taught them how to "fetch hay."

Then the guide took the girls to the back of one of the small houses, where the girls found a cat! As I watched my daughters admire the cat, I suddenly wondered: Did cats come over on the Mayflower??? An idea was born!

The Pilgrim Cat

Much later, after I'd researched and written Pilgrim Cat, I met my illustrator, Doris Ettlinger, at Plimoth Plantation. After we explored Plimoth, we went to the Mayflower II. We took very detailed photographs that Doris could use, for her historically accurate illustrations. We remained good friends.

Pilgrim Cat came out in time for Thanksgiving 2004. The spring before Pilgrim Cat was published, we adopted two new kittens. Katherine named the striped kitten "Pounce" in honor of the cat in my book.

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