Catalyst: A Heartwarming Middle Grade Fantasy about a Giant Talking Cat, Best Friends, and a Magical Secret

Zoe must figure out how to keep a giant kitten safe in this middle grade fantasy adventure about change, expectation, and accepting all for who they truly are―regardless of shape or size.

Zoe named the kitten Pipsqueak, because she was so tiny, and promised to always take care of her. Then the kitten grew. And grew. Now she’s bigger than a horse―and talking as well! Fleeing into the woods to escape the curious eyes of the Internet, Zoe and her best friend, Harrison, must keep their new secret pet hidden as they desperately search for a way to return her to normal size. If they don’t succeed, Pipsqueak may never be safe again. But why did she grow so large in the first place? And what if trying to change her back leads to even greater danger?

• Talking Cat: Pipsqueak started as a tiny, pocket-sized kitten. Now she’s bigger than a horse, full of opinions, and getting harder to hide every day.
• Best Friend Adventure: Join Zoe and her best friend Harrison as they team up to protect Pipsqueak from curious neighbors and the entire Internet.
• A Heartwarming Mystery: Zoe knows she has to keep Pipsqueak safe, but to do that, she must uncover the magical secret of why her kitten grew so large in the first place.
• Coming of Age Story: On the edge of turning twelve, Zoe has to learn that true acceptance means loving your friends for who they are, no matter their shape or size.

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Spellshop, as well as over twenty-five fantasy books for adults, teens, and kids, including the Queens of Renthia series, Drink Slay Love, and Spark. She has won an American Library Association Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for the Andre Norton Nebula Award three times. She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.