One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader. When Trim trips over a napping dog, little does he know that soon he’ll set sail and begin learning how to be a ship’s cat. Among his first the parts of the ship (the front is called the bow, like “bow wow”), the dynamics among his new colleagues (Jack the ship’s parrot is not so easy to befriend), and basic skills like climbing (up is easier than down) and swimming. With the assistance of Captain Flinders, Penny the ship’s dog, and Will the ship’s artist, Trim learns new skills, tests his limits and abilities, and finds a way to contribute to life onboard. This delightful early reader series by acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson is inspired by the true story of Trim, often called the most famous ship’s cat in history. Owned by British explorer Matthew Flinders, Trim traveled on the HMS Investigator on the first expedition to circumnavigate Australia (1801–1803).

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader. Trim is eager to do a good job on his first day as ship’s cat—but what is his job? All around him, members of the crew are busy with their responsibilities—too busy to notice a small kitten looking for an opportunity to contribute. Jack the parrot directs Trim to the hold, to patrol for rats. But Jack neglects to tell Trim exactly what a rat is. Surely Princess Bea, the new friend he meets below deck, isn’t a rat. She doesn’t resemble the creepy, scary-looking creature that Jack warned Trim about and she’s happy to have an assistant to fetch her biscuits from the galley.

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader. Trim like’s being part of the ship’s crew. The captain says that I’s like a family or a team. Every has a jobs they do alone and they help each other too. And there’s a big problem, then it’s all hands on deck. But what is Trim’s job? He really wants to help, but everyone is very busy. Penny is helping the sailors mop the deck, so Trim decides to mop too. Swish! Swish! SWISH! Trim gets water everywhere. Jack is helping the captain steer the ship, so Trim thinks he can steer too. Whee! Whee! WHEE! But there’s not enough room on the wheel. Doesn’t anyone have a job for a small kitten who really wants to help?

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he set sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader. Trim has learned a lot about life at sea. He understands the daily routines and the responsibilities of each crew member, and he knows many of the ways to help. But one day he ventures outside and experiences something new and a storm is brewing. As the wind whips his whiskers and the sky grows dark, Trim’s heart beats like a drum. All his friends are doing new preparing the sails, closing any openings on deck, and securing loose items. Penny and Jack explain each step to Trim and he is comforted to learn all the ways to prepare for a storm. And then he hears a strange noise coming from the lifeboats. There he finds Wisdom, a young albatross who is also experiencing her first storm. Can these two small creatures help each other ride out a storm and make a frightening experience a little less scary?