This delightfully illustrated picture book is based on the real-life story of a cat called Trim and his loyal guardian Captain Matthew Flinders.

Captain Matthew Flinders was an English navigator and cartographer who was born in 1774 and circumnavigated the world, adding detail and description to the first discoveries. The story starts when Trim was born aboard the ship HMS Reliance; as a little kitten he finds himself overboard in choppy seas. His bravery and resilience shines through and he is able to swim back to the ship and climb a rope back to safety. As a soggy little kitten, he quickly becomes a favourite of Captain and crew. He took advantage of his position by enjoying the best of the food and revelled in the attention bestowed upon him. What follows is an insight into her life aboard the various ships that he travels on, with each page detailing the name of the ship or voyage, and ultimately the circumstances under which they part company.

The illustrations are detailed, life like and in keeping with the style of the period; the colours are vibrant and appealing. The vocabulary and language used make it a great book to read aloud, and would suit an audience of primary children. The story jumps to voyages and a somewhat open ending allows for maximum discussion.