Cat Takes Queen: In Which a Humble Cat of Astonishing Genius Recounts a Tale of Chess Mates and Checkmates

by Ilona Bray, Stephen Soong

Genres: Middle Grade

224 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Ilona Bray is an award-winning author of books for adults and children. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and received a law degree from the University of Washington. In her role as an author/editor at Nolo.com, she specializes in real estate, immigration law, and nonprofit fundraising.

Reviews

[Grinning Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful book is the Middle Grade debut of Bray and Soong, and the blend of chess with cat intelligence works brilliantly. Morphy starts off the book as a stray cat who plays chess with an older man, Edgar, in his garden. When Edgar has a stroke, Morphy misses him terribly and is desperate to find out if he’s okay. He gains friendships while helping the humans Edgar, Calla, and Diego battle the evil machinations of a real-estate agent and a chess cheat, while Edgar and Morphy teach the kids the intricacies of the game. Honor and doing the right thing are themes of this book, along with found family and the universality of chess. Careful explanations of the gaming action, along with detailed diagrams, enable even chess beginners (like me) to follow along and appreciate the beauty of different aspects of chess. There’s also a beginner’s guide giving a summary of the game at the end of the book. CAT TAKES QUEEN is both intelligent and heartwarming. Recommended.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Cat Takes Queen” is a delightful middle grade novel by Ilona Bray and Stephen Soong, a married writing duo. The story centers around Morphey, a chess-loving cat, his person Edgar, Edgar’s granddaughter Calla, and Diego, who ultimately becomes Calla’s friend. While there is a lot of chess played and discussed, readers do not have to be chess experts or even chess novices to appreciate the story. I am excited to gift a copy of this book to my chess-loving nephew, though. Sensitive topics include illness, immigration, and bullying.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.