Why did you choose to write books for children? If I get stuck, I like to go out for a walk and that often helps me write the next part in my head ready for when I come back home again. I write in a small and very untidy study on a computer with Alan and Babs popping in and out to supervise me as necessary. And without his training foundation passed on from generation to generation of book cat I’m not sure I would ever have been able to write anything worthwhile myself. He goes through times of great trouble and sadness, but he never stops being kind and resourceful. My favourite character in the book has got to be Morgan. Do you have a favourite character in the book and if so who is it? I found out about them and more about the Second World War from the Imperial War Museum and through reading papers from the Faber archive. But the war fair and banana auction at Russell Square and the V1 rocket attack that damaged the Faber buildings were also real events. My grandfather described him as a ‘very affectionate large and black cat’ who helped keep fire watch on the roof during bombing raids.

Morgan was a real cat who turned up at Faber and Faber some time in 1943. Many things in The Book Cat are definitely true and EVERYTHING in The Book Cat might be true. What research did you do when you were writing the book? They would say I am a very slow human sometimes – both at writing the right books and at getting their breakfast. There had to be a lot of sitting on the computer keyboard and deleting my words before I finally got the message and picked up Morgan’s story. But as I wrote about tapirs and ponies and dogs, I can’t deny that they got increasingly exasperated with me. They and their predecessor Jones have loyally helped me write many books. The inspiration behind The Book Cat were my very own Book Cats, Alan and Babs. What was the inspiration behind The Book Cat? Here author Polly Faber tells us all about what inspired the book and which illustrated chapter books for kids she recommends you read next. We love the historical setting and instantly fell in love with Morgan the Book Cat. It also makes a moving and carefully written introduction to the Blitz and the wider impact of war for readers aged 5+. The book we’ve sent our Parakeet subscribers this month is a charming and beautifully illustrated story perfect for young bookworms and animal-lovers alike.

The book cat polly faber