This week I am reading a fantasy book called "The Familiars."  A familiar is a spirit that often takes animal form and is bound to a witch or wizard.  In this story, an alley cat named Aldwyn is trying to escape from an evil bounty hunter, and in the process, winds up in a shop full of animals destined to be familiars.  He ducks into an empty cage, and soon after, is picked to be the familiar of a young wizard, Jack! Even though Aldwyn is worried that his lack of magic will soon be revealed, he still enjoys learning alongside Jack and meeting two other familiars, the blue jay Skylar and the frog Gilbert.  Of course, their idyllic life together can only last so long...

In French, I just finished a beginning reader book called "Le journal secret de Max."  It is a light-hearted story about a young dog with a new baby sister.  He had hoped for a brother to play pirates with, but eventually he realizes that his sister, annoying and loud as she can be sometimes, might be a fun playmate after all.  The simple text (written as short journal entries) is nicely enhanced by the bright, cartoony illustrations.  The style reminded me a bit of the Donald Duck comics I used to read as a kid.