Excerpt from The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

'You have to hide us! We're being chased!' Satoru shouted. The clerk looked over at them doubtfully.

'If they catch us, they're going to get rid of him!'

Satoru showed the cardboard box to the clerk and a siren-like yowl rang out from it.

The clerk stared at the box for a moment, then headed to the back of the shop, motioning for them to follow. They had passed through a door when the clerk pointed to the back exit.

'You're a lifesaver!'

Satoru scampered out, followed by Kosuke.

He turned and gave a small bow of thanks, and the clerk wordlessly waved a hand at them.

From there, they scurried from place to place, but they were only children and there was only so far their legs could carry them.

Finally, they ran to their elementary school. Satoru's odd little plan to run away from home had caused quite a disturbance, so much so that the news had got around the neighbourhood, and as they legged it into the school grounds, all the grown-ups were hot on their heels.

They prised open a window, one that all the pupils knew was out of kilter and didn't lock properly, and slipped into the school building. The adults had no idea how to get in, so they ran around helplessly outside, while the boys made their way up to the top floor.

They spilled out on to the roof and could at last put down the cardboard box with the kitten inside.

'I hope he's okay. He was shaken up quite a bit.'

There was no sound coming from the box so they quickly opened it. The kitten was nestled in a corner. Kosuke hesitantly reached his arm inside to touch it—

Pyaaa—!

The kitten started to howl even louder than before.

'Sssshhhh! You'll give us away.'

The two boys tried to calm the kitten, but cats don't often listen. Crouched down and shushing at each other, they could hear voices calling out.

'I hear a cat!'

'It's coming from the roof!'

The grown-ups had started to gather down below.

'Kosuke, enough!'

One angry voice rose up from the crowd, that of Kosuke's father. From the sound of his voice, it was easy to guess that his son was in for a beating that would put his nose severely out of joint.

Kosuke, in tears, turned on Satoru.

'It didn't work! You lied, Satoru!'

'It isn't over yet. We can still pull this off!'

Again, a voice called out from below. 'Satoru, come down here right this minute!'

Satoru's father had joined their pursuers.

'We can go up the fire escape,' someone piped up, and it became clear that Kosuke's father, his face burning with rage, was already climbing them.

'It's all over now,' Kosuke mumbled, holding his head in his hands. Satoru ran over to the railing on the roof. He leaned over it and shouted, 'Stop! If you don't stop, he's going to jump!'

A murmur ran through the crowd below.

'What?' Kosuke was horrified. 'What are you doing, Satoru?!'

When he grabbed Satoru's sleeve, Satoru gave him a blazing grin and a thumb's up. 'A comeback!' he said. It wasn't what Kosuke had been hoping for, but it did seem to be enough to stop Kosuke's father dead in his tracks.

'Satoru, is that true, what you said?' Satoru's mother yelled from below.

'It's true! It's true!' Satoru yelled back. 'He just took off his trainers!'

'Oh my god!' People were screaming from below.

'Kosuke, calm down now, kid!' This from Satoru's father, while Kosuke's father roared, 'Stop buggering about!' Even from up above, it was clear he was furious. 'Stop whining! I'm coming up, and I'll drag you down from there if I have to!'

Excerpted from The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.