You Are Not a Cat! (Duck and Cat) - Hardcover

Flake, Sharon G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1590789806 ISBN 13: 9781590789803

Publisher: Astra Young Readers, 2016

Synopsis

This clever and hilarious story stars Cat, who starts out perfectly content and relaxed, and Duck, who infuriates him by meowing like a cat instead of quacking like Cat thinks he should. Written completely in dialogue, this minimalist text by award-winning novelist Sharon G. Flake (in her debut picture book) is fun to read aloud and easy enough for newly independent readers to enjoy on their own. Anna Raff’s humorous and deceptively simple artwork highlights the characters’ personalities, showing Duck’s quirkiness and good humor and Cat’s rising frustration as Duck impersonates a variety of animals, refusing to concede that he is, indeed, a duck. Duck’s silliness will appeal to children who enjoy pretend play, and older siblings will relate to Cat’s annoyance as Duck refuses to leave his side. This concise, funny story is ideal for multiple readings, with playful details in the artwork and humor that never fades.

About this title

About the Author

Sharon G. Flake won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for her first novel, The Skin I'm In, and is a two-time Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner. Her books have sold a combined total of more than half a million copies. You Are Not a Cat! is her first picture book. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Visit sharongflake.com.

Anna Raff has illustrated several books for children, including World Rat Day by Children's Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis. Her illustrations have also appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times and the Washington Post. Before her career as an illustrator, Anna was a designer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and several children's book publishers. She lives in New York City. Visit annaraff.com.

Review

A duck likes to pretend to be other animals, much to the consternation of a very pragmatic cat.... beginning readers can have fun...” Kirkus Reviews

"YA author Flake shows her goofier side in this giggle-inducing picture book, which works not only for a preschool crowd but also for an emerging reader. The all dialogue text is printed in a simple, legible font inside large speech bubbles. Soft colors and lightly textured backgrounds create plenty of white space for the eye to focus. The 'who’s on first?' humor, utilizing a large number of sight words, is heightened by hilarious facial expressions in the cartoonish illustrations, created using sumi ink washes and pen-and-pencil drawings and assembled and colored digitally. Whether enjoyed independently or at storytime, readers will laugh their way through this entertaining book." Booklist

When Duck insists he is a cat and meows to prove his claim, Cat corrects his obvious error by asserting that ducks always say quack, quack.’ Cat is the straight man to screwball Duck, and this makes the two an appealing pair sure to be adored by young readers. Raff’s soft pastel illustrations are a perfect match for the quick-witted, comic book style text. Fans of Mo Willems’s popular Elephant and Piggie’ and Pigeon’ series will embrace this silly animal tale wholeheartedly.” School Library Journal

"Sharon’s text just begs to be read aloud, and the meter really reminds me of Dr. Seuss.” Anna Raff, Illustrator

About this edition

• Publisher: Astra Young Readers
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1590789806
• ISBN 13: 9781590789803
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Raff Anna