Book details
Sue Mongredien - Author
Lily, her mum and their dog Poppy care for three abandoned kittens overnight. Poppy’s own early experience of being hand-reared connects her gently to the kittens’ care.
Eight-year-old Lily is always surrounded by animals. Her mum works at an RSPCA centre as an Animal Care Assistant. Lily thinks it's the best job ever. Sometimes Mum has to care for animals at home, and on one rainy evening, Mum arrives with three tiny kittens. The poor things have been abandoned, and Lily and Mum must stay up through the night to look after them. But there's another member of Lily's family that wants to help - Poppy their crossbreed dog gently mothers the kittens in their basket. Poppy was brought to the RSPCA as a tiny puppy and was handreared herself. Together, Mum, Lily and Poppy will be able to nurse the kittens back to health.
Book Analysis
Sign in to see how this book fits your child and family preferences.
Sign in for personalised guidanceHow the book presents it: The plot presents hands-on care and helping the kittens recover as the family's shared purpose.
Talk about: What does each character contribute to the kittens’ care?
The story foregrounds practical care for vulnerable animals, with Lily, her mum and Poppy helping together. It may suit a child interested in animals and family teamwork.
The kittens have been abandoned and need care through the night. Their vulnerability is central to the plot.
What do you think Lily and her mum need to do to care for the kittens overnight, and how does Poppy help?
Read together if the kittens’ abandonment might feel upsetting. You could pause to talk about what caring for them involves, then notice how each family member helps.
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
The Abandoned Kitten - Sue Mongredien - Google Books
Limited information
Checked: 1 October 2026.
Relevant to: Care for vulnerable animals
The abandoned kitten by Sue Mongredien | Open Library
Limited information
Checked: 1 October 2026.
Relevant to: General book context
Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.
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