The lion is the emblem of Venice, but the common cat rules its narrow streets and alleyways. A prince among these feline rulers is Piccolo, and what a fine life he leads! Especially after dark—when the streets are full of possibilities!

Then one night, Piccolo makes a discovery that threatens his carefree life and his independence and starts him on a new and special kind of adventures.

In these pages, you will also meet Caesar—Piccolo's older and somewhat cynical friend, and Sophia—the shoe shop cat, to whom Piccolo turns for advice when his life takes its unexpected turn. And you will meet two irresistible kittens—one spotted and one striped—who need a home and who help Piccolo discover his own tender heart. 

Illustrator Itoko Maeno, who first visited Venice in 1977, returned to that city—which many call the most beautiful in the world--to capture its watery magic for this story. Her enchanting renderings of the canals, markets, crooked byways, boats, and bridges of Venice and her wise and witty portraits of its two-and four-legged citizens will delight children and adults alike.

At a time when we are recognizing the need for boys as well as girls to develop nurturing skills, Piccolo appears as a welcome model for all children.

From the dust jacket