Questions & Answers
about Jenny, the Cat Club and Esther Averill
What order should I read the Jenny Linsky books in?
Any order works, since each book stands on its own. For a first read, start with the collection Jenny and the Cat Club, then follow the publication order on our Books page.
How many Cat Club books are there?
Thirteen, published between 1944 and 1972, all written and illustrated by Esther Averill.
Are the Cat Club books still in print?
The New York Review Children's Collection has reissued every Cat Club title except Jenny's Bedside Book. The Fire Cat is published by HarperCollins as an I Can Read book.
Where do the Cat Club stories take place?
Mostly in Greenwich Village, New York City, where Esther Averill lived. The club meets under a maple tree outside Jenny's window.
Who was Esther Averill?
An American writer, illustrator and publisher (1902–1992). She founded Domino Press in Paris before creating the Cat Club books in New York.
Who receives the royalties from the books today?
Averill left her literary rights to the Library of Congress, where the royalties support children's literature.
Is JennyLinsky.com an official site?
No. It's an unofficial fan site, not affiliated with the Averill estate, the Library of Congress or any publisher.
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