The fourth volume in LeGuin's engaging series about flying cats involves the youngest family member, Jane, who spreads her wings for greener pastures when she leaves the farm and heads for the excitement of the city. Although she is independent and adventurous, little Jane is also naive and trusting of humans. She ends up, miserably, in the hands of a man who exploits her natural talent by making her perform in public. Although life as a celebrity is at first exciting, Jane soon tires of it and plots her escape. As with other titles in this series, there is enough dramatic action to make this slender, illustrated volume a good candidate for reading aloud to younger children, while at the same time there is enough originality, sophistication and character development to make it appealing to older independent readers, particularly those who like fantasy or cat stories. The story stands perfectly well on its own but followers of the series will be delighted to meet a familiar character in the book's satisfying conclusion. (Ages 5-9)

Jane is the youngest of the five Catwings, cats who have wings and can fly. She lives on a farm with her brothers and sisters, but while they are content, she is restless and longs for adventure. Her sister Harriet warns her that "If human beings saw cats with wings, they'd put us in cages." But Jane refuses to listen... and when she flies to the city, she becomes the captive of a man who wants to make her a TV star. Jane has to figure out a way to escape, to regain her friends and her freedom.