Flat Cat

A hilarious reminder that versatility will have you feline fine.

This amusing picture book is fun for reading aloud.

The "slick, sly" feline protagonist of this picture book is two-dimensional and loving it: his "smooth moves" involve roaming anyplace he pleases and snoozing "in any nook and cranny," including, as purple-tinted, thick-lined digital art by Oswald (Sleepy Sheepy) shows, draped over a towel bar. But when Flat Cat is accidentally mixed up with the laundry, he emerges from the dryer as round as a basketball--or, as text from Lazar (Bloop) coos, as "the most adorable puffy, furry, fuzzy-wuzzy feline you ever did see!" At first, Flat Cat can't wait to return to his independent 2-D state, but when exuberantly affectionate Aunt Harriet, portrayed with pale skin, inadvertently sits on him, a return to his previously flat state slowly prompts a realization that "he wasn't keen to be totally unseen." In fact, he now believes that the three-dimensional life has its rewards in connection--feeling "warm, comfy-cozy, or even the teensiest bit rosy." Maybe, as long as Aunt Harriet and a clothes dryer are handy, he doesn't have to choose? Featuring groovy text, it's a Flat Stanley-flavored take on rolling with the punches and fluidly embracing newfound facets and friends. Ages 3-7. Author's agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (Sept.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

*Oswald brings Flat Cat to life in digital pictures incorporating gouache textures. Drawn with quiet humor, the expressive, imaginative illustrations contrast the cat's self-sufficient demeanor with his inner need for affection. Lazar's narrative shifts in tone as the cool cat is transformed into an adorable one and back, until he realizes what he really wants. As the narrator comments in closing, "Smooth moves, Flat Cat!" This amusing picture book is fun for reading aloud. --Booklist (starred review)

Flat or fluffy, is there a better way to be? Lazar's wryly humorous tale won't leave young audiences flat, while Oswald's purple-tinged cartoon depictions of this Flat Stanley-style feline add their share of giggles (as usual). Humans depicted are diverse. A hilarious reminder that versatility will have you feline fine. —Kirkus reviews