Mirror and the Bobcat by Cat Ritchie
What's It About?
When Mirror, a fearless young fairy, tends to a scared and orphaned bobcat kitten, she discovers an unexpected friendship so rooted in compassion and care, that the spark of her energy is ignited to new levels.“Home…. How can one little word have so many meanings?”
For Mirror, a 5-inch-tall, frightfully fierce and loyal young fairy, home begins with showing up in Somewhere, a fairy community said to be hidden in the natural beauty and grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Mirror never speaks of her past, simply appearing one day with her silver hair and the ability to see beyond what other fairies could.
Mirror and the Bobcat (Atmosphere Press), the latest middle-grade fantasy novel in author Cat Ritchie’s series of Somewhere Stories, is not only a coming-of-age tale, but a story of coming into one’s true self, embracing uniqueness, and understanding the true meaning of family and trust.
Humorous and witty, this delightful story scatters little lessons throughout the pages, reminding readers of all ages that family and home mean so much more than blood and four walls.
Fearless, Loyal Fairy
Taken in as an apprentice seer by Lady Florinssawilcombrea, or Lady Flo, Mirror grows in her ability to see both spirits and future events. Accepted without question by her closest friends — Bosco, the boy who talks to bees, and Mica, who wants to forge his own future outside of his father’s love for volcanoes — Mirror lives a happy life filled with glee and magic.
That is, until, one day, during a race to fresh raspberries, Mirror suddenly has a vision of Bosco being attacked by a bobcat. Worried for her friend, Mirror flies into the face of danger, and in doing so, singes one of the bobcat’s whiskers. Now Mirror must tend to the scared, orphaned kitten. Rightfully naming the bobcat Ember, Mirror discovers an unexpected friendship so rooted in compassion and care, that the spark of her energy is ignited to new levels.
Finding Inner Strength
In an effort to save Ember from a steel trap, Mirror unknowingly unleashes an energy so powerful that it is felt for hundreds of miles around — causing the fairies and humans to feel the magnitude of her power. But the humans are the least of the fairies’ worries. The fire that is burning in Mirror is matched with a blaze that is destroying the forest around them. In an attempt to flee to safety, the fairies find themselves facing a danger much closer to home: a traitor is trying to corrupt and take over the Royal Court.
Before Ember, Mirror’s past is never questioned. Now, her history is the key to unlocking the source of her powers (which rival those of fairy royalty) and saving not just Somewhere, but the fairy community. Determined to not lose her home, Mirror finds herself in the throes of her most challenging days.
Journey into the fairy realm with Mirror and her friends — her chosen family — on an epic quest to connect Mirror’s past to her powers and save their home and loved ones.
After all — everyone’s story has to start Somewhere.
About Cat Ritchie:
Cat Ritchie is a writer, healer, bee advocate, bird watcher, and menagerie attendant. She enjoys spending time in her gardens with the visiting birds, bees, butterflies, and occasional coyote. An avid reader and writer for most of her life, she lives in Bloomington, Minnesota with husband Don, and numerous pets. Her works have appeared in The Talking Stick: Volumes 16, 17, 19 and Dust and Fire 2008.
