The beloved family cat Fred has died, and as young siblings Sophie and Nick bury their pet, they remember him as a lazy, sleepy feline. Then a dapper kitty visits the children at bedtime and explains that Fred was a singing sensation, inviting them to a very vocal memorial service for this pop star. The next morning, Sophie and Nick wonder, "Was it all a dream?" The basis of the 1997 Academy Award–nominated cartoon, this 1987 book for readers up to 8 is by the creator of the British comic strips Tamara Drewe and Gemma Bovery, who uses comic book panels to tell the tale of this cat with a double life.

"An offbeat book, with droll humor and silly good fun in both dialogue and illustrations (the top-hatted feline mourners are a particular treat). At the same time, it bears witness to the comfort to be had through the sharing of sorrow and reminiscence."—Publishers Weekly