Natalie Knox, an award-winning children’s author and illustrator from South Africa, has released her first chapter book series called The Adventures of Kitty Corner, which is aimed at emerging readers aged 7 to 10.
Knox, a children’s author and illustrator who lives in southern Spain, draws her inspiration from the natural world around her – and this latest project is no exception. The Adventures of Kitty Corner was inspired by the feral cats that roam the wild areas near her home in Andalucía. Her daughter adores cats and they spend many happy hours feeding and watching the feral felines. Together, they created the series’ main character Lucy, and dreamt up the many adventures she might have while caring for a feral cat colony.
The first of five books, A Risky Rescue, was released on 10 May 2025.
Natalie is a primary school teacher and mother of three, and has a deep passion for inspiring children to fall in love with reading. She says, “There’s a magical moment when children transition from picture books to chapter books—a door to a whole new world opens. If they choose to step through it, they become readers for life! Chapter book authors have the wonderful responsibility of creating stories that enchant and entice emerging readers, showing them just how amazing books can be. When children find stories that spark their imagination and touch their hearts, they’ll keep coming back for more.
“With cats, friendship and plenty of adventure, I hope The Adventures of Kitty Corner becomes a story young readers can’t wait to dive into.”
In A Risky Rescue, cat-loving Lucy is struggling to adjust to life in a new town. When she discovers the feral cat colony in the nearby forest, everything changes. She befriends the neighbours who feed the kitties and quickly gets acquainted with the different cats in the colony. A pregnant mama cat catches Lucy’s interest, but when it’s discovered that the kittens have been born in an unsafe place, Lucy and her friends need to act fast!
“A Risky Rescue” has been released in hardcover, paperback and eBook format. It can be purchased at most book retailers in-store or online. For more information, email Poppy Seed Publishers: poppyseedpub@gmail.com.
