Scrawny Cat

The events here are classic, the narrative is simplicity itself...Altogether, this is a satisfyingly fresh rendition of the old scenario of a wanderer landing safely in a loving home.

PreS-Gr 2--Lonely, little, and lost, a scrawny, orange-striped cat wanders the streets of a coastal town. He once had a home and a girl who loved him, but now he is a despised stray. When a fierce thunderstorm drives him and the dinghy on which he is hiding to a small, isolated island, he finds comfort and a new home with a woman who is also lost and lonely. The gouache illustrations complement the pathos of the story, particularly as read in the cat's big, sad eyes. The text creates mild tension as to whether or not he has found a safe place to stay--but only enough to ensure relieved satisfaction at the end of the book when all ends well.--Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA

While animal-loving kids especially will sigh with satisfaction as the cat finally finds a kind-hearted caretaker, this plotline will likely resonate with any youngster who yearns for belonging... the little cat is a charming waif, from his bony frame to his huge, expressive golden eyes, and his skittish uncertainty is as effectively depicted as his eventual paw-kneading contentment.

—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books