Kitty and the Great Lantern Race

Chapter

4

Kitty raced down the alley. The noise of the crowd faded as she ran farther away from the festival. She stopped at a corner and listened carefully for any tiny sounds. The wind whistled gently down the moonlit street, and there was the distant hoot of an owl. A cluster of fallen leaves danced in the night breeze.

Quick footsteps came from another alley not far away. Kitty followed the faint sound, hoping it was the thief. She zigzagged through the maze of streets and alleys. Every now and then, the footsteps stopped, and Kitty paused too. It would be easier to catch the thief if she didn’t know Kitty was following her.

The next alley opened on to a wide road full of shops and restaurants. Moonlight glinted like frost on the shop windows. A sign in a café window read DELICIOUS SOUPS AND SANDWICHES SERVED ALL DAY. The Hallam Wonder Tower, the tallest building in the whole city, rose into the night like a vast stone giant.

Kitty waited and waited, but there were no more footsteps. Had the thief realized she was following? Was she hiding around a corner in the dark?

Something twinkled on the Wonder Tower. There was a tiny dark shape about five floors up, moving very slowly, like an ant crawling up a branch. Kitty stared in shock. The thief looked small because she was so high, and the glinting light was the star on the golden crown, shining in the moonlight.

Kitty’s heart fluttered. She knew her superpowers would help her . . . but did she really want to go all the way up there? The Wonder Tower was enormous. It had a place to eat at the top called the Cloud Restaurant, and above that, a metal radio mast jutted into the sky. Kitty could see the top of the mast, with its flashing red light that warned away airplanes.

She shivered. Maybe the tower was too high, even for someone with special powers. But there were stolen handbags and necklaces that had to be taken back to their owners . . . and how could the lantern competition go ahead with no prize? She thought of the disappointed faces of her classmates. Hurrying to the bottom of the tower, she began to climb.

She had to work hard to find handholds and footholds on the smooth stone building, and the higher she went, the stronger the wind became. Kitty looked up just as the thief disappeared through an open window on the sixth floor. She must be planning to hide somewhere inside, Kitty thought.

Kitty climbed to the sixth floor and dropped through the same window. She was standing on a staircase with long flights of steps leading up and down. Quick footsteps sounded overhead. Kitty followed the steps upward, treading as quietly as she could.

The stairs wound on and on. Kitty counted the floors . . . nine, ten, eleven . . . twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six. She lost count at around the fortieth floor, but a minute later she found herself on the final set of steps. A magnificent set of doors, with the name in big gold letters, stood at the top.

Cloud Restaurant

Kitty hesitated. The thief must have gone inside. She crept a little closer.

There was a sudden whirring sound from inside the restaurant. Kitty warily opened the door and spotted an elegant striped cat sitting on a stool at the counter. Her long tail flicked as she drank from a tall glass through a stripy red straw. The festival crown, the handbag, and all the other loot was on the countertop.

Kitty held back a gasp. So the thief was a cat! That was why she’d climbed buildings so easily and leaped so gracefully from one roof to the next. Kitty had to admit that the cat burglar was the most nimble creature she’d ever seen, and one of the sneakiest, too. But how dare she sit there relaxing after spoiling the parade!

Creeping up silently, Kitty dived at the thief and grabbed her before she could escape.

The robber jumped in surprise, and her drink sprayed all over the counter. “Hey, what’s going on? Who are you?”

“I’m Kitty, and I’ve come to take back all the things you’ve stolen!” said Kitty. “You should be ashamed of yourself.” She spun the thief around to face her and pulled off the cat’s mask. Underneath were a set of elegant whiskers, a cute black nose, and mischievous amber eyes.

“You caught me! No one’s ever done that before. My name’s Dodger, by the way!” The cat grinned and held out a furry paw. Her tail swayed gracefully.

Kitty let go of her, frowning. This cat didn’t seem bothered by being caught at all. Why didn’t she look upset or even guilty?

Dodger lifted her glass again and slurped through the stripy straw. “I can make you some of this drink if you’d like, Kitty. Mango-and-fish smoothies are my favorite!”

Kitty shook her head. This wasn’t going the way she’d expected. “Why are you here? Are you stealing from the restaurant?”

“I live here! The cook lets me sleep under the tables, and sometimes the customers give me their chicken or fish to eat. I love being high up. It makes me feel like I can do anything!” Dodger scampered over to the window and waved her paw at the bright full moon smiling down on the city below. “See that view? It’s the best in the city!”

Kitty followed her to the window. The whole of Hallam City was spread out below them in a carpet of little twinkling lights. Kitty could just about make out the park near her house and the clock tower where she’d first met Pumpkin.

The whole city had a magical, silvery look in the moonlight.

“Hey, you should come and live here with me!” Dodger continued. “It’s so much fun, and you have all the right cat skills to be part of my crew.”

“You’re right—it’s amazing here,” Kitty agreed. “But I already have a cat crew, and we do things to help people, not hurt them.”

Dodger snorted. “That sounds really boring!”

“It’s not boring—it’s important work. I would never steal anything. Don’t you realize you’ve upset so many people tonight?”

Dodger flicked her tail. “What do you mean? I was only having fun.”

“It’s not fun to steal other people’s things,” said Kitty sternly. “The lady with the ruby necklace said her husband gave her those jewels on the day they got married. They were very special to her.”

Dodger looked a little downcast. Then her amber eyes gleamed. “But what about this?” She bounded back to the counter and put the festival crown on her head. “This didn’t really belong to anyone, and see how great it looks on me!” The crown slipped sideways over her velvety-black ear.

For a moment Kitty wanted to laugh, but she stopped herself. “Taking that crown was the worst thing you did! It was supposed to be the prize at the end of the festival. Lots of children will be disappointed that it’s gone.”

“That’s stupid! I think you’re just trying to ruin all my fun,” cried Dodger, shooting Kitty a cross look. Then she snatched up all her loot and raced out of the restaurant.

Kitty dashed after her, but by the time she reached the stairs, the slippery cat thief was gone.

Chapter

5

Kitty rushed down the steps looking for Dodger. Halfway down she stopped and listened, but everything was silent. How had Dodger disappeared so fast?

It took a long time for Kitty to reach the bottom floor, and just as she got there, the elevator door slid closed. Dodger must have come down in the elevator before escaping into the night.

Kitty opened a window and climbed out onto the pavement. A cloud hid the moon, and the street grew darker. Kitty looked along the empty road, frowning. A feeling deep down inside made her follow the alleyway leading back to the festival.

All the chatter and laughter had disappeared from the crowded streets. The children in the lantern parade were waiting close to the mayor’s platform. They held their lanterns by their sides, their shoulders slumped. A group of teachers had gathered on the stage to talk to the mayor.

A shadow jumped out at Kitty as she reached the end of the alleyway.

“I know you’re following me! Have you come to spoil my fun again?” Dodger scowled. The golden crown still sat lopsided on her head.

“Dodger, you’ve got to listen to me,” said Kitty. “Stealing things isn’t fun—it just makes everyone sad. See that lady over there? She’s the one whose handbag you took.”

Dodger looked at the lady, who was wiping a tear from her eye.

“And look at my friends!” Kitty went on. “They spent a long time making their lanterns, and they were having a wonderful time until the prize was taken away.”

Kitty’s classmates were looking around worriedly, as if they were afraid the thief might return at any moment.

“Does it really look like they’re having fun now?” Kitty demanded.

Dodger stared at them and a guilty look spread across her face. “I guess not! I’m sorry, Kitty. When I left the tower tonight, I just wanted an adventure, so I gave myself a challenge to steal the festival prize. I love to test my awesome cat-burglar skills!” She preened her smooth striped fur. “Then when I got here and saw the crowd, it seemed like it would be fun to take the other things too while no one was looking. I didn’t think I was hurting anyone.”

“Maybe we can fix everything together,” suggested Kitty.

Dodger stroked her long whiskers. “Good idea! But how do we do that?”

“All we have to do is give back what you took . . . and if we use our cat skills, it will be just as fun,” explained Kitty. “Let’s see which of us can return the valuables to their owners the quickest.”

Dodger’s eyes gleamed. “I accept your challenge! I know I’m bound to be the winner.”

Kitty took the lady’s handbag and the man’s watch and ran down the street. Dodger scampered after her with the ruby necklace and the golden crown.

“Last one to finish is a slowpoke cat!” Dodger called. “Oh . . . and you have to put each thing back without anyone seeing.”

“You’re on!” Kitty called back. Then she slipped through the crowd and hung the stolen handbag back on the lady’s shoulder.

Dodger climbed nimbly up a lamppost and spotted the woman with the ruby necklace on the other side of the crowd. The cat skipped along a tree branch before leaping across the street and slipping the necklace over the lady’s head.

The woman gasped and clutched the string of rubies. “My necklace! Where did that come from?”

“I think I saw a figure moving over there!” said a man beside her, pointing in the wrong direction.

“It’s incredible!” the woman went on. “It just appeared like magic.”

Dodger grinned and crept into the darkness of a nearby alley.

Kitty slipped the missing watch onto the wrist of the man it belonged to. She noticed Dodger sneaking onto the platform at the front of the crowd. The wily cat left the crown on a table and disappeared again like a shadow vanishing in the moonlight.

A moment later, Dodger reappeared at Kitty’s side, grinning. “That was a lot of fun! But do you think they’ll ever notice that I’ve put the crown back?”

Kitty smiled. The mayor and the teachers were still busy talking to one another. None of them had noticed the prize laying on the table in the middle of the platform. Then a shout went up as one of the children spotted the crown. A murmur of excitement buzzed around the crowd.

“The prize has been found!” said a dark-haired lady. “Isn’t that amazing?”

“That’s really good news,” replied the man next to her. “I hated seeing the children disappointed.”

“So I guess I’m a very good cat after all! And I won our competition. I knew I would be the fastest!” Dodger did a triumphant little dance and waved her tail in Kitty’s face.

“Well, actually . . .” Kitty was just about to explain that she’d finished first, but then she stopped herself. She had a hunch that Dodger wouldn’t be a good loser, and this way the cat thief was happy about giving back the stolen things. “I’m very proud of you! Are you going to stay and see them give out the prize for the best lantern?”

“I don’t think so.” Dodger’s tail flicked restlessly. “It’s still early, and there might be another adventure waiting for me somewhere!”

Kitty’s forehead wrinkled. “You won’t steal anything else, will you? Don’t forget how much nicer it is to make people happy.”

“Sure—I’ll remember!” Dodger winked and smoothed her whiskers. “I hope I’ll see you again sometime, Kitty. Come to the Cloud Restaurant if you ever want to try a mango-and-fish smoothie!”

“Thanks, I will! Good luck, Dodger.” Kitty watched the graceful striped cat dart away into the crowd.

Dodger waved to her with a grin, her amber eyes gleaming as she slipped away down an alley.

Kitty waved back, smiling. She’d completed a whole adventure without the help of her cat crew. She couldn’t wait to tell her mom all about it! Excitement fluttered in her tummy as the mayor walked to the front of the platform with the golden crown. It looked like the prize was about to be announced!

Chapter

6

Kitty dashed over to join her class. “Thanks for looking after my lantern!” she said to Emily.

“That’s okay!” replied Emily. “Did you see what happened? The crown was found again after all.”

Kitty nodded, smiling to herself.

Just then, the mayor began to speak. “Ladies and gentlemen! I’m very pleased to say that our prize has been returned, and a big thank-you to anyone who helped get it back. Now I’m going to announce the winner of the lantern competition.”

A murmur rippled across the crowd, and everyone watched the mayor eagerly.

“The judges have walked around the parade and looked at all the lanterns carefully,” the mayor continued. “There were so many brilliant ones this year and that made it very tricky, but we’ve decided that the winner is . . . Emily Sanchez, with her butterfly lantern!” The crowd burst into applause. Kitty’s whole class cheered, and Emily turned red.

“Go on!” Kitty urged her friend. “You have to go up on the stage and collect your prize.”

Emily made her way up the platform steps and shook the mayor’s hand. Then she held up her purple butterfly lantern with its silver-edged wings so that everyone could see it properly.

The crowd clapped loudly and the mayor placed the golden crown on Emily’s head, saying, “Here’s your prize! Very well done, for making such an imaginative and beautiful lantern.”

Kitty smiled and cheered. She had been sure that Emily’s lantern was the best one all along! She felt a tap on her shoulder. Spinning around, she found her mom right behind her. “Mom, you made it!” she beamed. “Look! Emily won the lantern competition.”

“That’s amazing!” Mom put an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry I missed the parade. Did you have a wonderful time?”

“Yes, it’s been really exciting!” Kitty told her. “The festival prize was stolen, and I had to chase the thief to find it.”

“Goodness! I’d love to hear all about it,” said Mom.

Together they left the crowd and climbed onto a nearby rooftop. The festival streamers fluttered on the lampposts below, and the lanterns shined brightly.

“Let’s find somewhere comfortable to sit,” said Kitty’s mom. “I think the fireworks are about to start.”

They found a comfortable spot beside a chimney just as the fireworks began. Fountains of gold and silver light whooshed into the air before falling down again like glittering rain. Next there were dazzling red and green rockets that shot upward with a loud bang. The night sky filled with sparkling colors as the fireworks soared one after another.

As the last firework burst, Kitty caught a glimpse of Dodger on a distant rooftop. The cat’s eyes glinted, and she waved one last time before bounding away into the night.

Kitty told her mom all about Dodger, and how hard she’d worked to catch the naughty cat. “So I went all the way to the top of the Wonder Tower to talk to Dodger. She’s quite a cheeky cat, but once she understood how much she’d upset everyone, she gave everything back again.”

“Well done!” Mom hugged her. “It couldn’t have been easy all by yourself. I’m so proud of you! Would you like to go home and celebrate with some hot chocolate and marshmallow sprinkles?”

“Yes, please!” Kitty watched the last firework soar through the sky like a cluster of shooting stars. Then she went home with her mom, skipping across the rooftops in the moonlight.

Back home there would be hot chocolate and Pumpkin and her cozy bed. Having an adventure was amazing, but going home afterward was even nicer!

Super Facts About Cats

Super Speed

Have you ever seen a cat make a quick escape from a dog? If so, you know they can move really fast—up to thirty miles per hour!

Super Hearing

Cats have an incredible sense of hearing and can swivel their ears to pinpoint even the tiniest of sounds.

Super Reflexes

Have you ever heard the saying, “Cats always land on their feet”? People say this because cats have amazing reflexes. If a cat is falling, it can quickly sense how to move its body into the right position to land safely.

Super Vision

Cats have amazing nighttime vision. Their incredible ability to see in low light allows them to hunt for prey when it’s dark outside.

Super Smell

Cats have a very powerful sense of smell. Did you know that the pattern of ridges on each cat’s nose is as unique as a human’s fingerprints?

About the Author

PAULA HARRISON’s years teaching taught her what kids like in stories and how they respond to humor and suspense. Jenny Løvlie is an artist, designer, and bird enthusiast, fascinated by the strong bond between humans and animals. The author and illustrator have worked together on a total of six books about Kitty!

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Copyright

This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used to advance the fictional narrative. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

KITTY AND THE GREAT LANTERN RACE. Text copyright © 2020 by Paula Harrison. Illustrations copyright © 2020 by Jenny Løvlie. First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Oxford University Press; first published in the United States by Greenwillow Books, 2021. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.