A Cat a Hat and a Piece of String The latest collection from Joanne Harris is an eclectic mix of stories, linked more by Harris' witty storytelling than by any particular theme. Readers familiar with Harris' previous books, both her novels and her first collection, Jigs and Reels , will recognise several of the settings and characters: Faith and Hope, two rather intrepid old ladies living in Meadowbank Retirement Home; the aspects of several Norse gods who appeared in the Rune books; Malbry, the setting for blueeyedboy and Gentlemen and Players. In addition to these familiarities there are plenty of new characters, which helps to give the collection a freshness. Ngok, the child narrator of 'River Song', who has to ride the rapids more fearlessly than the boys to prove her place in their team, is particularly likeable. Although the story focusses more on Ngok's challenge, there is still an undercurrent running through the story which doesn't let the reader forget that the children are risking their lives to entertain tourists for scraps of food. Some of the stories were brilliant: 'Dryad', about a woman who falls deeply and passionately in love with a tree; 'Cookie', a tale about a woman who convinces herself that she is carrying a baby made from sugar and spice and all things nice; and 'Would You Like To Reconnect', about a mother who believes that her dead son haunts Twitter. Several of the stories are unsettling and insidious, nestled within other, more gentle tales.