Cleo and Cornelius: A Tale of Two Cities and Two Kitties

Adventurous Cleo and couch potato Cornelius live in ancient Egypt, where cats are worshipped like gods and goddesses. After Cornelius accidentally boards a boat departing on a voyage across the sea, Cleo and Cornelius find themselves in the faraway city of Rome, a place where dogs are treated like kings. In Rome, the activities never end! Cleo and Cornelius race chariots, play games, perform in a theater, and more. Do they even want to return to Egypt? A spin on Aesop’s classic fable “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,” Cleo and Cornelius is teeming with hungry hippos, toga-clad dogs, and dancing cat mummies, bringing new excitement to a timeless tale.

Elizabeth Nicholson is a senior editor at Getty Publications and a former senior writer/editor at the Smithsonian Institution. Janine Pibal holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has taught puppeteering for television in Los Angeles. Nick Geller holds a PhD in Classical Studies from the University of Michigan. Michelle Thies is an illustrator and animation artist based in Los Angeles.