A Cat Like That

by Wendy Wahman, Wendy Wahman (Illustrator)

Overview

What does a cat want in a best friend? Someone who knows just where to scratch. Someone who can read the many moods of a cat's tail. Someone who knows when to play and when to stay away.

In fact, this cat might just have someone special in mind....

With characteristic humor and a light touch, Wendy Wahman shows readers what cats like and what they don't. A Cat Like That is perfect for every kid who meets a feline friend—from the overeager ones to the scaredy-cats!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466820388
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	06/21/2011
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Wendy Wahman has won many awards for illustration, but her greatest joy is loving the two-, three-, and four-legged animals she has known. She lives in Washington State.

WENDY WAHMAN lives in Washington State with big poodles, old cats, and a husband named Joe. She’s won many awards for illustration, but her greatest joy is loving the two-, three-, and four-legged animals she has known. She is author and illustrator of the picture books Don't Lick the Dog and A Cat Like That.

Editorial Reviews

A primer for the young friends of wise felines.” —Chicago Tribune

“With humor and a light touch, this book shows young readers what cats like and what they don't, helping kids understand good, pet-friendly behavior.” —Cat Fancy

“Reading Wendy Wahman's colorful picture book A Cat Like That awakened all my hitherto more or less hidden desires to acquire a kitten.” —Nancy Pearl

“Cat lovers will be instantly smitten, and even those who aren't as immediately enthusiastic may well be won over by this slinky, strong-minded, creature.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The dynamic artwork and playful prose make this an appealing book to share individually with a prospective cat owner or in a cat-themed storytime.” —School Library Journal

“An attractive primer for kids who love cats—or may someday.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 2—In a story that doubles as a barely disguised primer on the dos and don'ts of handling a cat, a winsome but finicky feline lists all of the things he wants and does not want from a best friend: privacy when using the litter box—good; shouting in his ear-bad; an ability to read tails—excellent; dropping him to see if he lands on his feet—don't even try it. Fortunately, this feline narrator is confident that the reader is just the sort of person he'd want for a best friend, because he finishes with, "If I could pick a best friend in the whole wide world…I would pick YOU!" The artwork, created with Photoshop, has a Fauvist look about it. Wild colors and fluid lines capture the essence of being a cat without any bearing to the way felines or their environments look naturally; one illustration of the animal cleaning himself is in shades of blue and looks as if it had been created with a nod to Matisse. The dynamic artwork and playful prose make this an appealing book to share individually with a prospective cat owner or in a cat-themed storytime.—Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

Striking illustrations and a pitch-perfect portrait of an unnamed pet's personality combine to showcase charming (and practical) advice on how to make friends with a feline.

A large black cat with yellow eyes narrates, but on some pages the cat appears instead to be red, blue or purple. These color shifts effectively convey changes in emotion, activity or time of day and definitely add to the visual appeal but do run the risk of confusing young listeners. The cat's litany begins: "If I could pick a best friend..." and then catalogs desired qualities. Many subsequent sentences echo the opening by including the phrase "I'd pick a friend..." While none of the criteria detailed are unexpected (no yelling or dragging, privacy when appropriate and good rubs make the list, for example), Wahman injects plenty of visual humor to keep things interesting. Bright colors, off-kilter perspectives and stylized, exaggerated shapes bring her eye-catching artwork to life. Some paintings are reminiscent of Matisse, while others are cozier and more realistic. The final sentence circles back to the beginning and speaks directly to readers: "If I could pick a best friend in the whole wide world...I would pick YOU!"

Cat lovers will be instantly smitten, and even those who aren't as immediately enthusiastic may well be won over by this slinky, strong-minded, creature.(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews