When Max and Leroy the circus mice discover a kitten in their barn, who would ever guess the adventures—and dangers—that lay ahead? Would Finnigan the kitten grow up to learn he should prey on mice? As it turns out, a warm camaraderie develops as Max and Leroy, the old-timers, teach young Finnigan the ropes. Though accustomed to human heroes, I found myself rooting, cheering, and biting my nails as this cat-and-mouse tale unfolded. Definitely a keeper – with plenty of delight and intrigue for kids and grown-ups, too!

I got this book to give as a gift and didn't get to finish it before I had to wrap it up and give it away!! A delightful read, though. I love the characters and the delightful descriptions. Sure to mesmerize any child. It would be a wonderful read for children, boys or girls. I enjoyed the banter between Max and Leroy and the development of otherwise unlikely friendships among the museum animals. I'm anxious to purchase another copy for myself so I can see how the story ends!

Mary Wagner has a style of writing that not only visually creates the entire scene, but draws you into the characters, their story and their antics, whether animal or human! This adventuresome tale is told with much humor and compassion. Max and Leroy (the mice) have quite the relationship with Finnigan, and although this is a book for children, I found myself reading quickly at times to find out how their daring adventures were going to turn out. Max is my favorite character with his quick wit, even though Finnigan clearly became the star of the show. In addition, the sketches before each chapter were charming. This is a delightful book for children, and I can easily envision subsequent adventures for Finnigan and his pals that readers will want to follow. I highly recommend this book!

Maximilian and Leroy are two cute circus mice with a lot of personality Their interactions are rather comedic and this tale explore their relationship with Finnigan a cat who is adopted by a little girl living on a farm that used to be a circus museum. The man who owned the farm dies so he leaves his property to Lucy's family. Lucy's dad is allergic to cats so he doesn't know about the new kitten in the barn. The mice and Lucy keep this secret from the family.

Together the mice and Finnigan have many adventures that children will love reading about. Even as an adult I was amused by the antics. I felt the story was very creative, original and fun. The pencil sketches illustrating each chapter added to the appeal. There is a reason Mary T. Wagner is an award winning author. She knows how to write from the heart and tells stories all ages of readers can enjoy. The only thing is kids will probably want you to make some of the food mentioned in the story when you read them this delightful book.

So if you love mice and kittens as much as I do, you will really enjoy this book. The descriptions of the kitten are adorable. I did also like that all the animals talk.

I originally wanted to read this book as a bedtime story for my 2-year-old and my 8-year-old can do the reading for us at bedtime. I ended up reading the story myself and finished reading ahead of my kid. Growing up with a love for cats, I have always had cats of my own so it is easy to fall in love with the story. I like that the story creates a feeling of belonging. That no matter how different we are from each other, whether we be cats or mice, we are still family.

With delightful characters, this story explores an extraordinary friendship and the fantastic adventure which ensues. Already in the first pages, Max and Leroy are introduced as characters young readers will wish lived in their home. ... The situations are ones kids will understand and sympathize with, and enough surprises are built in to keep the reader glued to the pages. 

I cannot praise Finnigan the circus cat highly enough. I read it in one sitting and then turned back to the front page and read it again. Max and Leroy are two highly amusing mice living at the circus museum. When the owner of the museum dies a new family move in, and it isn’t long before the daughter of the family brings home a kitten. This is where the fun starts! The naming of the kitten is inspired and truly delightful as is the rest of the story. I’m quite sure I will be reading this adorable book many times and when I go to visit my granddaughters in Australia (from the UK) it will be going with me. Buy it, read it, share it with your friends and family – you won’t be disappointed.

5 STARS!!

Finnigan the Circus Cat (Volume 1) by Mary T. Wagner is an entertaining story that revolves around Finnigan, the cat, and Max and Leroy, the mice. Things change for Max and Leroy, the two mice cousins who have been living at the Farnsworth Circus Museum, when the once quiet place is occupied by a new generation of the Farnsworth family and their dog, Boomer. What scares them most is when Lucy, the eight-year-old daughter, brings in their enemy, a cat! She hides the cat in the barn as her dad is allergic to cats. Will Max and Leroy be able to become friends with Finnigan, the cat?

This heartwarming story will win the hearts of all animal lovers. It’s a story of friendship, trust, and overcoming fears, and young readers will be able to connect well with it. All the characters are well portrayed and they are real, memorable, and relatable. The silly moments between Max and Leroy, the unlikely friendships the mice form with Boomer, the dog, and Finnigan, the cat, and the surprises in the story will fascinate readers till the very end. The narration is detailed and descriptive, making the scenes and characters come alive. I wish the author had some illustrations to make it even more engaging for young readers.

The book is good for bedtime story-telling and can also be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. The adventures, the danger, the intrigue, and the fun in the story make it a delightful read.

FINNIGAN THE CIRCUS CAT is a sweet adventure, perfect for kids who love animals. Told from the point of view of Max, the circus mouse, the story is a great nightly bedtime read. Full of adventure but cozy enough to leave readers feeling sweetly satisfied after each chapter, author Mary T. Wagner’s novel is an excellent choice for young readers. Max and Leroy are a hilarious duo who also teach readers a lot about the meaning of friendship and family, both relational and found. Finnigan is growing and learning, just like children, and gets into a few scrapes he needs to work through. Plus, the story is just plain fun!

Well written and with sweet illustrations at the start of each chapter, FINNIGAN THE CIRCUS CAT is sure to please cat and mouse lovers alike!

A warm tale about a simple life that can have its own adventures, this book can be fun for cat-loving kids.

Cousins Max and Leroy, two circus mice, live a well-settled life at the old Farnsworth Circus Museum. They have comfortable place to rest, enough food to eat, no bothersome dogs or cats. But when little Lucy Farnsworth and her family move in, along with their dog Boomer, things start to change a bit. To add to the annoyance, Lucy hides a rescue kitten in their barn, which totally aggravate Max and Leroy, naturally.

This little kitten, which is not allowed in the house as Lucy's dad is allergic, seems oblivious to the disturbance he must have caused in the status quo at first. But, Max and Leroy take him under their wing and show him the best spots for hiding, the best hidden route to the stream on a hot day, all the nooks and crannies in the circus wagon...

Things can't be this idyllic for long, and sure enough Hector and Godfrey show up which is not a good sign for Leroy and Max. When Leroy almost falls into Godfrey's mouth, Finnigan, leaps to his rescue, hangs by his long fluffy tail, and saves his from certain death.

The pencil illustrations in the book were done by the author herself. The story flows smoothly and predictably with engaging dialog and not a lot of fast-paced adventure or rising action or conflict. This might be the first in a series where we follow Finnegan along with his new adventures.