Peachtree Publishing, January 2025
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews, ⭐️ starred review
A jaunty kitty parades through her seaside town, greeting friends and neighbors until she locates one special pal.
"A cat. / A cat. // A big, round cat. // Have you ever seen / a cat like that?" Anchored by an infectious and eminently chantable refrain, this succinct rhyming story is an ideal toddler read-aloud. A minimal plot follows a regal black-and-white feline as she ambles through the day, visiting a fire station, a bustling downtown, the fishing docks, and finally the school, where she waits for her light-skinned young owner. The text's pacing is smooth, and the rhymes never feel forced. Tidy, full-bleed digital illustrations use light and shadow deftly, and the canvaslike texture gives the art a timeless feel. A light, beachy palette captures the town's seashore vibes. Varied perspectives keep the pages feeling fresh, including spreads at cat's-eye level or scenes showing the streets from above, along with a dotted line map of the feline's wanderings. These images contrast beautifully with close-ups that highlight the cat's expressions as she bats a butterfly or smacks her wee kitty tongue. The ending feels a bit abrupt-after so much waiting, readers might wish to see more of the happy reunion between cat and child-but that's a minor quibble. The town is filled with diverse residents.
This simple yet skillful rhyming book is the cat's meow. (Picture book. 2-5)
BookPage
Follow a neighborhood cat as it wakes from a nap at a fire station and sets out on an adventure. First, she gets treats at the bookstore, and pets at the park. Then she strolls along the boardwalk before fishing with friends. But where are we going now? Where has our cat been walking toward all along? Climb the fence and we’re almost there: Yellow buses and a big red door! Who is our cat waiting for?
With sparse, rhyming text, Lester L. Laminack perfectly captures a day in the life of a typical neighborhood cat in A Cat Like That. As she wanders through town without a care, she could belong to anyone. But “she stretches and yawns but does not stay,” reminding those she meets that there is someone special she is looking for. Laminack’s repetition of the question “have you seen a cat like that?” emphasizes the common experience of seeing a familiar cat on a daily stroll.
Nicole Wong’s whimsical illustrations bring this cat and her entire neighborhood to life, with clever details such as the cat’s napping spot on the title page, hidden characters recurring throughout each spread, and the cat’s collar being the same red as many details of the town, showing that she is right where she belongs. Wong’s use of scale and perspective brings a sense of mischief that matches the cat’s playful nature, with illustrations zooming in and out of the cat’s adventure through the town.
A fun read-aloud with engaging illustrations, children will ask to read A Cat Like That many times over, finding new details in the pictures with every read. Whether one has pets at home or not, A Cat Like That is sure to please!
Booklist, ⭐️ starred review
Laminack weaves a cozy story about a “big, round cat” with a big personality as she embarks on her neighborhood rounds. Beautiful, softly rendered illustrations by Wong reveal scenes that supply rich details to the spare, rhyming text, which features the refrain, “A cat. A cat. // A big, round cat. // Have you ever seen a cat like that?” The feline in question is a tuxedo cat with an expressive, charming face who begins her day cavorting through the firehouse, where she lives. From there, she heads out into the seaside neighborhood, where she strolls through people’s yards and wanders to the bookstore, the bakery, and the pier. She is clearly a familiar sight to the people she visits, as she is always welcomed with cuddles or snacks. The cat’s ultimate destination is sweetly revealed as she peers through the window of the school and sees the child of the firefighter from the first scene, all three of whom share a hug once school lets out. The story’s simplicity and repetition make it a great selection for storytime, as does the large-scale artwork. The double-page spreads utilize a variety of perspectives, resulting in a quiet but endlessly interesting adventure.