Every year in September
We revisit The Plague and The Great Fire of London
It has been brilliant each year
Finding something different to learn and explore
This year, Esther and William are going to be reading
The Fire Cats of London
Written by Anna Fargher
Illustrated by Sam Usher and
Published by Macmillan Kids
I read this without doing much research beforehand
I thought it might be similar to
The Great Fire Dogs
By Megan Rix
It is NOT like that!
The Fire Cats of London
Set in and around London in 1666
Tells the tale of two young wildcats
Who are orphaned
Hunted from their home
And taken to an apothecary’s shop
In the heart of the city
Where their whiskers, blood and fur are harvested
For potions
This is a story of courage and loyalty
Of family
It is a story that makes uncomfortable reading at times
I bought this book with Bea in mind
But I am not sure now that I would let her read it
She is 8
This is a story of how cruelly animals were treated
In the 1600s
I had not heard of
Henry VIII’s and Elizabeth I’s Vermin Acts
Before reading this book
I did not know that they hunted animals close to extinction
If they were believed to be a risk to livestock and grain
I had not realised the extent to which animals
And parts of animals
Were used for medicines and potions
I had not realised the full horror of animal baiting
Nor how many animals were put in harm’s way
For human entertainment
Anna Fargher tells children about these things
Through the animals themselves
It is incredibly powerful and moving in places
Sam Usher’s stunning illustrations
Help to bring the animals and their tales to life
I have learned so much from this story
About a topic I thought I knew a lot about
If you are looking for a way to revisit
The long hot summer of 1666
And The Great Fire that followed
This is the book for you
You will discover that in fact the fire did not begin in Pudding Lane!
The fire was predicted more than once, long before it happened
There was a plot to burn the city of London, only nature beat the plotters to it!
And learn why resident ravens are so important to The Tower of London
This is a brilliant book for exploring with older readers
Who want to learn more about life in 17th century London
The story shows racial and religious tensions in the city
Readers learn about the brutal treatment of animals
In the name of healing and entertainment
The story shares information about
Housing conditions and living in the city at the time of
The Great Fire
It tells how Plague Doctors were often not doctors at all
And hurt more than helped their patients
This is a story filled with adventure
But also with heartache and peril
I urge adults to read this before sharing with children
But if you do choose to share it
I just know that the children will learn so much
And will be fired up to do their own research
Into life in London around the time of the plague and fire
It is a fascinating period in our history
And this book has validated my parenting and educating decision
To return to this time and place in September each year
It is hard to describe the story without spoiling it
For those who choose to go on and read the book for themselves
I can just say that I thoroughly enjoyed it
I learned an awful lot from Anna’s writing
And I cannot wait to read the story again with Esther and William
We will be using the teaching notes and discussion guide from Macmillan Kids
If you are learning about The Great Fire Of London this year
Here are some more books that we use to support our topic work