PreS-K-- Slobcat seems to just lie around, often unable to muster the energy to eat or come in out of the rain. He's not much of a mouser, so chasing rats would be unthinkable. At least that's what his family thinks. The pictures, however, tell another story. Glimpses of his ``secret life'' reveal him chasing butterflies, squirrels, and mice and stealing a fish from a store. He's also shown behaving in very uncatlike ways: swimming a stray kitten to safety, saving a family member from slipping on a tennis ball, chasing a fox and burglar, and snuggling up to garden birds and mice. He romps through the pages, or lolls at eye level, sometimes staring life-size into readers' faces. All of these activities are depicted in vibrant realistic paintings of orange and white fur and glowing green eyes, set against white backgrounds and trimmed with the flora and fauna of Slobcat's world. A very real little girl affectionately observes her lethargic pet, never quite catching him in action. The kitty wink at the end shows readers that he knows what he is about. Cat lovers will enjoy the humorous irony of Geraghty's text and illustrations. Even young children will respond, ``Why, that cat is not lazy at all!'' --Jane Saliers, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library
