Chapter 1 Duchess Wigtower had a problem. A fuzzy, furry, claw-pawed problem. And he was sitting beneath her shredded portrait. Licking his leg. And looking bored. When this kitten first scampered into her castle, Duchess Wigtower thought she might keep him. After all, she'd heard that pets are fun. But then he turned her puffy sofa into a loaf of stuffing. She paced, her tall hair wobbling back and forth. This cat was a catastrophe! But what could she do? From her window, Duchess Wigtower could see the top of Princess Magnolia's castle. She snorted. "Magnolia is so clever. But even she wouldn't be able to manage this cat." Suddenly, the kitten launched itself onto her hair. The tower of hair tipped forward. The duchess found herself eye-to-eye with an upside-down kitten. "Eeeeek!" Duchess Wigtower screamed. When she was done screaming, Duchess Wigtower put the kitten in a basket. She placed the basket at Princess Magnolia's front door, knocked, and hid behind a bush. Princess Magnolia opened the door. Butterflies landed on her hair. Bluebirds tweeted. "Oh my, what is this?" said Princess Magnolia. She opened the basket. Mew , said the fluffiest kitten she had ever seen. Princess Magnolia gasped. The butterflies flitted. The birds sang. The whole world seemed to say, Aww, so cute! "Oh, I hope I can keep you!" Princess Magnolia looked around. "Frimplepants, did you see who left this basket?" But her unicorn, Frimplepants, was dozing in the garden. He did not notice Duchess Wigtower snickering behind the bush. He did not see her sneak away. Chapter 2 Princess Magnolia took the kitten to her room. She stroked his long fur. She booped his tiny nose. "You are the sweetest little fluff muffin," she said. "What should I call you? The Princess in Black has a pet pony. His name is Knight Fairyfeather Straddleblack. But he goes by Blacky for short. Should I call you Fluffy?" The kitten twitched his tail as if to say, No thank you. "Hm. Perhaps you prefer a longer name. How about Plumpkins?" The kitten turned his face away. "Not Plumpkins, huh? How about Picklewink?" said Princess Magnolia. The kitten squeaked a tiny sneeze. Ah-chee! Ah-chee! Coming up with a perfect name wasn't going to be easy. She would keep thinking. Mew, mew! said the kitten. "Oh dear, I think you want something. But what?" Mew, mew! Princess Magnolia hurried to the castle library. On the shelf of animal books she found Cat Care. Cats have many needs. They need food, water, a cozy place to sleep, and a litter box. Princess Magnolia gathered all these items into her room. But the kitten still meowed. "What's wrong, Fitz-Kittikins?" asked Princess Magnolia, trying out yet another name. "You have everything you need. Don't you?" She checked the book. Cats also need playtime so they don't get bored. Especially kittens. "Playtime! What a great idea!" said Princess Magnolia. The kitten jumped up and down. Mew, mew, mew! But just then, Princess Magnolia's glitter-stone ring rang. The monster alarm! "Oh dear, I have to go," she said. "But I'll be back soon, Kitter-Punk!" The kitten sneezed again, as if to say, I do not accept the name Kitter-Punk. Excerpted from The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
