Picture Book Review: Cat & Dog: a Tale of Opposites by Tullio Corda

Image: Red Comet Press

Cat & Dog: a Tale of Opposites by Tullio Corda. unpgd. Red Comet Press, September, 2021. 9781636550022. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

I just started my 13th year as a middle school librarian after spending 10 years as a K-8 librarian. Even though #nevertoooldforpicturebooks is my motto, I admit I haven't been keeping up with concept books. 

I cannot recall a book of opposites that actually tells a story with a beginning, middle and end. Red cat and blue dog romp on plenty of white space and the text color cues young readers who is doing what. And while there are the expected opposites, there are a couple of surprises - "Oops!" and "Phew!" Then, there's a pair on the cover of the book under the jacket, which parents may not think to look under and which will create a dilemma for librarians who tape those jackets down!

Fun, fun, fun! This one's sure to be a favorite.

My apologies for the tardiness of this review. I read this book back in late July, just as my husband's condition was taking a turn for the worse. He died within the week and I have been trying to adjust to my new reality. My ability to concentrate, focus and be organized has really taken a hit. I hope Cat & Dog gets the readers it deserves.

Picture Book Review: Max Attacks by Kathi Appelt

Image: Simon & Schuster

Max Attacks by Kathi Appelt. Illustrated gby Penelope Dullaghan. unpgd. Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/ Atheneum, June 11, 2019. 9781481451468. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Max is a cat who attacks. This furry, frenetic feline has his sights set on a bowl full of fishes. It's a good thing for the fishes that he's easily distracted, though not good for the dog. Each time he's drawn back to the fish after leaving a path of destruction in his wake, he discovers there's something new to attack. 

The jaunty rhyme is accompanied by energetic acrylic, charcoal and digital illustrations that add humor. Cat lovers will take to this like catnip, but so will anyone else with a pulse. Great for story time read aloud. Max Attacks is a fantastic addition to any school or public library serving the very young.

Won Ton and Chopstick: a cat and dog tale told in haiku by Lee Wardlaw

Won Ton and Chopstick: a cat and dog tale told in haiku by Lee Wardlaw. Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. 32 p. Henry Holt and Company (BYR), March, 2015. 9780805099874. (Purchased) 

Won Ton is a happy cat now that his Boy is well-trained - nap, play, eat - it's all good. Until... What are these strange toys doing here? And, why is that door closed? 

A puppy! Doom, according to Won Ton, who goes into full-Ninja mode only to be unceremoniously dumped outside, in a hilarious redux of one of my favorites from Won Ton: a cat tale told in haiku (2011). Oh, woe is Won Ton! He listens in on the conversation about what to name the puppy. He has the perfect name but no one's asking. He needs to enforce some rules, especially regarding his food bowl. This earns him a night outside where he misses his Boy and later, wonders if he will be forgotten.

Hilarious hijinks ensue involving toilet paper, garden beds and skunks among other familiar animal mishaps. Slowly, the two pets bond, leading to a conclusion that will leave readers sighing contentedly. This story could easily be read to a child coping with a new sibling as Won Ton's anger and confusion are pretty relatable. But share this one widely and add it to your haiku unit if you're a teacher. (ETA: here's a link to an extensive teacher's guide as well as a link to an activity guide!) Definitely one for any library collection.

It sure was fun to revisit with my favorite feline rescue.
I totally fell in love with Won Ton and eagerly awaited the release of its sequel once I learned it was coming. Endearing illustrations and plenty of humor make for a cozy read aloud.

Blog Tour: Hissy Fitz by Patrick Jennings

Hissy Fitz by Patrick Jennings. Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. 103 p. Egmont Publishing, January 6, 2015. 9781606845967. (Finished copy provided by publisher for review.)

The jacket flap of this hysterical early chapter book asks, "What does a cat need to do to take a cat nap?" 

The aptly named Hissy lives with the Fitz family a bit grudgingly. As humans go, they are okay, especially when they feed him but they just don't know how to treat a cat. Cats are singular, solitary creatures with particular tastes (freshly killed food) and desires (to be left alone) and this family just does not get it. It doesn't help that curmudgeonly Hissy is a bit of a diva. He's even hard on his cat friends. Mr. Fitz is a carpenter and spends his days banging and sawing - highly incompatible with Hissy's desired nap. Eight-year-old Georgie wants to pet him constantly in places Hissy definitely doesn't like. Out-of-control, rambunctious three-year-old Zeb terrorizes Hissy. Zeb's twin, Abe, on the other hand, shows promise as does Mrs. Fitz, who reliably feeds Hissy.

I just loved the voice. Sure it conjures up the Internet sensation Grumpy Cat, but I read the book with the voice of that cute Friskies commercial or the Sad Cat Diary - deep, long-suffering, cynical, sardonic and resigned. The spot art humorously reflect the goings on and who can resist that purr-fect cover? 

I happened to have the book on my desk at work when a fifth grader came into the library to check out some books. One of the titles she was interested in was Grumpy Cat. Unfortunately for her, it was checked out. I was putting it on hold for her when she spotted Hissy Fitz. "Ooh! Can I take this?" I told her to put her name on a post-it note and that as soon as I finished this post, I'd catalog, cover the book and check it out to her. She left the library very excited. She's a huge reader and very prone to dragging her friends in to check out her faves. I don't really expect to see much of it now as it gets passed around the fifth grade. (Sighs happily.)

While this is an early chapter book, it certainly has a place in classrooms and libraries up to fifth or sixth grade. Not only do we still have struggling readers in these grades, but cat humor can be enjoyed at any age. Even fluent and above grade readers deserve to kick back and read a fun and satisfying story.

There are links to blogs that are having giveaways on
Miss Yingling Reads.

You can also follow Hissy on Twitter @thehissyfitz.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

32 p. Clarion/ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October, 2013. 9780618756612. (Borrowed from the public library.)

This is just brilliant - a wonderful confluence of realistic cat behavior and fantasy. Mr. Wuffles disdains a variety of cat toys laid out for his pleasure, most still sporting price tags save one metal structure reminiscent of two sieves mounted on a tripod. Five little green men peer out of the oblong window and begin to congratulate one another in a symbolic language until two cat's eyes appear in their window. They are suddenly upended. Mr. Wuffles has found a toy worthy of his attention!

Luckily, the five little green men are mostly unharmed, but their equipment is not. They decide that they must go in search of ... what? Not sure, but as they attempt to sneak behind Mr. Wuffles, they are discovered and surely lost, except a lady bug flies into Mr. Wuffles face, distracting him and allowing the aliens to escape underneath a nearby radiator, where they discover art on the walls reminiscent of cave paintings depicting the cat doing battle with insects. 

The aliens are then greeted by the insects, photos are taken, gifts are exchanged and, even though the languages are different, they manage to communicate. Mr. Wuffles remains standing guard outside, much to the bewilderment of his owner. The insects cull a pencil, a marble and an M & M from the detritus that has rolled underneath the radiator and the aliens find them useful for repairing the device that was broken. Now, to get past Mr. Wuffles. 

This gem will soon be added to the wordless collection at my school. It is a 2013 favorite. Will this win the author/ illustrator his fourth Caldecott or his second Honor? I love the author photo

Cat Talk by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest

Illustrated by Barry Moser. 32 p. HarperCollins Publishers, March 19, 2013. 9780060279783. (Purchased.)

When I spied the cover of this at my favorite indy children's book store, several bells rang at once. I thought I had seen a review. Then, hey, a book of cat poems! And, hey, a Patricia MacLachlan book! But frankly, what clinched the sale was the fact that Barry Moser illustrated it. I have been a fan of his forever, but I especially like his own pet books, the books he wrote with his granddaughter, My Dog Rosie; My Cats Nick and Nora and Our New Puppy.

Thirteen cats weigh in in thirteen poems from a tom cat who reluctantly allows himself to be adopted to a reluctant mouser in a barn who has a secret best friend, through a diva Persian and a grey cat whose owner just wore a white dress. The poems are free-verse and the illustrations are 3/4-page to double page spreads. A pleasing collection for cat fanciers.