Cheshire Cheese Cat, the ─ A Dickens of a Tale

Skilley, an alley cat with an embarrassing secret, longs to escape his hard life dodging fishwives' brooms and carriage wheels and trade his damp alley for the warmth of the Cheshire Cheese Inn. When he learns that the innkeeper is looking for a new mouser, Skilley comes up with an audacious scheme to install himself in the famous tavern. Once established in the inn, Skilley strikes a bargain with Pip, the intelligent mouse-resident, and his fellow mice. Skilley protects the mice and the mice in turn give to Skilley the delectable Cheshire cheese of the inn. Thus begins a most unlikely alliance and friendship. The cat and mouse design a plan to restore Maldwyn—wounded raven and faithful guard in the service of Queen Victoria—to his rightful place in The Tower, but first they must contend with a tyrannical cook, a mouse-despising barmaid, and an evil tomcat named Pinch. Will the famous author suffering from serious writer's block who visits the Cheshire Cheese pub each day be able to help?

Carmen Agra Deedy is a New York Times bestselling author and has been writing and traveling around the world telling stories for more than twenty years. Her books have received numerous awards and honors. Carmen has performed in many prestigious venues, but children are her favorite audience. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives. Randall Wright has written several novels for young readers.

Barry Moser is one of the most celebrated illustrators of children's books of today. In addition to being an illustrator he is also a printer, painter, printmaker, designer, author, essayist, and teacher. The books Moser has illustrated and/or designed forms a list of over three hundred titles. Mr. Moser lives in western Massachusetts.