Check out these three mouse-chasingly fun new books with feline leads!
As a connoisseur of all things cat, I was excited to find three mouse-chasingly fun new books with feline leads among the picture books collection.
The incomparably delightful David Wiesner gives us Mr. Wuffles!—a nearly-wordless exploration of a day in the life of this titular cat. One of Mr. Wuffles’ toys turns out to be a real (if teeny tiny) spaceship that contains aliens from outer space. These stranded beings, terrified of the killer kitty with his claws that aim to capture them, begin to plot their great escape—which includes a little help from Mr. Wuffles’ other would-be victims: the insects that call the living room home. This is a truly funny picture book, with astute and clever illustrations that capture the cat’s personality and make the reader root for Team Aliens & Bugs.
Backstage Cat is the story of a mischievous orange kitty named Simon who, while waiting on his “leading lady” to finish her brava performance, runs amok throughout the theater, scuttling up the scaffolding and prancing atop the catwalk. With Simon as our guide, we learn about what happens backstage before, during, and after a big show. The text is simple (the story was written by Harriet Ziefert, who you probably know from her series of easy readers with Yukiko Kido—Crab Cab, Stop Pop, Pig Wig, etc.), briefly narrating Simon’s adventures. And the colorful illustrations by Jenni Desond are fittingly expressive and theatrical.
Kate Banks’ City Cat is a whimsical travelogue that takes a gatto nero (Italian for “black cat”) from Italy to England, among other European cities. From the comfort of your favorite cozy reading spot, join the feline Rick Steves on his whirlwind tour visiting some great old landmarks. See the Coliseum in Rome—cool! Buckingham Palace in London—awesome!! And the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris—wowza!!! The back pages give a bit more historical background on the cities through which the cat cavorts—Did you know, for instance, that the Coliseum is home to hundreds of cats, all protected by Roman law? Well, that just warms my kitteh-loving heart!
Whether you’re a cat person or a dog person (or a hamster person?), the library is sure to have just the book for you. Ask a librarian to help you find some stories featuring your very favorite animal!
Emily @ Central Library Children's Room