Our Cat Cuddles (Child's Play Library)

After Dominic and Lizzie convince their parents to get a cat, each member of the family has different qualities they look for in a pet, but the one they take home turns out to be a cat beyond their expectations.

Kindergarten-Grade 1-When Lizzie's family decides to get a cat, brother Dominic envisions a fierce feline; Mom wants a friendly lap cat; and Dad wants a docile, "sleep-at-your-feet" pet. Little Lizzie, however, doesn't have any expectations at all. She picks out a scrawny, malnourished kitten at the animal shelter. As he grows, the family discovers that "Cuddles" is not a domesticated cat at all, but a very large, family-friendly, but destructive lion and his name is changed to Brian, since Cuddles doesn't quite fit. At times, the verse seems clunky and forced, the story itself is somewhat flat, and the twist at the end isn't entirely satisfying. However, Montgomery-Higham's brightly colored, wildly exaggerated illustrations add definition and dimension to the characters, and her personality-filled cats are a highlight of the book. Children will naturally point out the different types of pets, and will identify which cat matches the descriptors Phinn has provided. This book may be considered a supplemental choice on the basis of its visual appeal.
Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, Canada
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Lizzie and Dominic finally succeed in convincing (and nagging) their parents to agree to get a cat. But what kind of cat? Young Dominic seeks a feline comrade-in-arms: "A fat cat, a fierce cat,/ A ferocious, catch-a-rat-cat." Mom pictures a more gemtlichkeit scenario, featuring "a furry cat, a fluffy cat,/ A friendly, sit-on-your-lap cat." The animal shelter, meanwhile, provides little direction, since it's stuffed to the gills with a dizzying array. Of course, it's the tiniest, most pathetic cat of all that eventually wins daughter Lizzie's heart. Yet Cuddles grows into a cat to be feared (and indeed fulfills every parent's pet-related nightmare) when he becomes a havoc-wreaking full-grown king of the jungle (literally). British author and artist Phinn and Montgomery-Higham approach their domestic comedy with distinctly different tones. The illustrator's fluorescent palette, strong, swooping lines and off-kilter perspectives seem to be geared for a merrier verse than these rather mild-mannered rhymes. Still, youngsters will be buoyed along by the slapstick premise and punch line, which proves that once a family pet, always a family pet: a parting scene shows Mom, Dad, Dominic and Lizzie happily snuggling on the sofa with the kitty formerly known as Cuddles now the lion renamed Brian. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.