[bglaugh]

Any help anyone can give would be appreciated more than you can possibly imagine as this has been driving me insane for years.

When I was about 8 or 9 (we're going back to around 1985 here) I read a book (or series of books) about a boy (or man) and his black cat. I remember that the idea was that they went on adventures through time or into other dimensions or into paintings, that kind of thing, but the stories were serious, not cartoony (one that I seem to recall was about them going into a painting filled with buccaneers or pirates). I also recall that the illustrations were dark and well shaded and I think they were colourless; pencil drawings.

I also have a vague recollection of there being some keys or medallions or something of that nature that was supposed to collected (or maybe they helped them get into the strange worlds, I can't remember).

The cat was important, I think, as if it was the cat that was responsible for opening these portals (?) to different places.

I've searched and searched the net and can turn up nothing that is even remotely like this (actually that's a big fib, I found something called the magic keys, which sounded similar until I found out that it was about a boy and his dog and was very cartoon like and not what I'm after at all).

The most infuriating thing is that my wife remembers these too but has no idea of the title.

Help me askmehelpdesk people, you're my only hope (with apologies to George Lucas).

[davina4822]

Might you be remembering "Time Cat" by Lloyd Alexander? It was published in the mid-60's.

[bglaugh]

Thanks, but that isn't it. I don't think I explained myself properly in the initial question.

What I'm after is actually a school reading book (Wide Range Readers, Ginn, that sort of thing). I think, anyway.

Thanks for trying though, it's the only suggestion I'm been given.