Lap Cat
Joren Cull. Penguin Workshop, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-593-65926-7
Lap Cat seeks “the perfect lap” in Cull’s quirky, medieval-meets-modern telling. An opening panel illuminated with manuscript-style florals notes that it’s day 222 of Lap Cat’s “journey—nay, quest,” while the facing page shows the feline venturing along a forested trail in a Robin Hood–esque hat, chanting “Lap.” The feline’s trek brings about encounters with numerous creatures—a squirrel with a bucket, a cat diner server, a dolphin fond of sand castles, and more. During each meeting, the cat’s single-mindedness proves accidentally harmful (about a joke store’s broken door, “Lap Cat is so focused on finding the perfect lap that they do not even realize they’ve cracked the glass”). Arriving at an establishment called “Lap Mart” (“A glorious sight! A superstore of laps!”), the protagonist rejoices until the shop owner alerts the feline to their previous destructiveness. The duo sets off to make amends, and eventually Lap Cat finds a way to a happy ending. Flattened and blocky, candy-colored drawings have a contemporary style that keeps the offbeat tale’s twists and turns moving. Ages 5–8. (Oct.)
Can I Keep It, Please?
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John Sullivan, illus. by Jessica Gibson. Beach Lane, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-6659-5556-0
At the town pet parade, brown-skinned Evie, encountering many kinds of animals, decides that her fluffy gray cat Sasha is not “a cool pet.” Determined to find something more dazzling, Evie requests a chinchilla, hedgehog, and skunk, all of which are denied by her practical parents. Though a garter snake discovered in the backyard passes parental muster, “Slithers” resists domestication, offers no emotional reciprocity, and fails to become a celebrity among Evie’s peers. During show-and-tell, the child has an epiphany: “Maybe Slithers doesn’t want to be a pet.... Not like Sasha does,” Sullivan writes. After Evie releases Slithers back into the garden, the ever-devoted Sasha bears three kittens. Cheery digital cartooning by Gibson alternate domestic and school scenes, while light animalian anthropomorphism effectively conveys that different beings have different natures—and that the best pet is the one that chooses you. Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
Shibu’s Tail
Tess Thomas, illus. by Kamwei Fong. Levine Querido, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-64614-573-7
Fluffy black kitty Shibu uses his tail to convey emotion in this standout story about big feels. Thomas’s neutral language describes the feline’s emotional states with direct precision: “When Shibu feels happy,/ his tail gives hug after hug.// When he feels mad,/ all its hairs stand/ straight up on end.” Rendered in fine black ink lines, Fong’s intricate monochrome illustrations depict nearly pettable displays of the cat experiencing pride (tail shaped like a star), exhaustion (tail becomes pillow), and confusion (tail resembles a question mark). When Shibu discovers that the other cats aren’t as openly expressive, he curls up into a box, “trying to contain his feelings,” but the strategy only makes him miserable, and eventually everything “crashed out in a giant wave.” The protagonist’s eventual self-acceptance (“Now Shibu knows that he feels his best when he expresses what’s on his mind and in his heart”) becomes a model for feline peers, and may well inspire readers, too. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)
My Dog Smudge
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Sujean Rim. Atheneum/Dlouhy, $18.99 (24p) ISBN 978-1-66597-095-2
Rim’s sunny lift-the-flap book winsomely attempts a dog bark translation. “Most dogs bark,” simple first-person narration opens; “My dog Smudge, does not.” Heading to a barnyard, a light-brown-skinned protagonist queries its residents with the repeat question, “Excuse me, do you know what my dog is saying?” From pig to cow and beyond, each animal redirects to another. “BLIIZIZP” the white-and-black pup vocalizes; “Neighhhhhh, that’s not Horse. However, I detect a tad bit of buzz,” replies a friendly-looking equine figure. After Owl, too, confesses ignorance, the child cheerfully abandons their efforts, leaving the dog to close out the story with a final, more easily decipherable sound. Set against white pages, spare visuals have a casual, sketch-like quality that incorporates loose scribbles and thick smudgy coloring. The naive vibe pairs ideally with the book’s simple plotting, resulting in a warmly playful story about two loved ones reaching an understanding. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)
I Am Ingrid: The Adventures of the World’s Greatest Guide Dog
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Aria Mia Loberti, illus. by Vivienne To. Scholastic, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-5461-4755-8
Actor Loberti gives voice to her guide dog, Ingrid, in this telling about the canine’s journey from pup-in-training to full-time working dog. Returning repeatedly to the declaration “I am Ingrid,” the dog’s narration expresses a sweetly oblivious confidence (“I’ve never eaten anything I’m not supposed to,” the pup brags, its snout deep in a jar of peanut butter) that plays out for comedic effect when paired with To’s realistic drawings, conveyed with mottled shading and in spatter-edged vignettes. Equal parts informative and anecdote-rich, the story continues step-by-step through Ingrid’s path to completing training for the organization Guide Dogs for the Blind. Trading in a “puppy vest” for “a real guide dog harness,” the canine is soon deemed ready to meet “my person.” A quick study, Ingrid swiftly learns the habits and preferences of her new owner before the pair jet off for future adventures—a happily ever after for this affable real-life tale. An author’s note and more about Ingrid conclude. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)
The Day Leap Soared
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Blair Braverman, illus. by Olivia When. HarperCollins, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-323805-3
Sled dog pup Leap goes on her first run with the other dogs in this exuberant debut starring, per an author’s note, the real life BraverMountain Mushing sled dog team. Braverman, a dogsledder, writes from Northwoods-based Leap’s perspective: “Her favorite thing is fresh, powdery snow. She jumps/ and bounces// and flies through the air!/ WHOOSH!” Bright prose proceeds, describing the other canines’ traits—Refried energizes the team with singing, Jenga excels at finding trails—and the subject’s worries about distinguishing herself. On Leap’s inaugural outing, sled dog booties “make her feet feel funny,” and “her belly feels like it’s doing flips,” but running proves exhilarating. En route, each dog displays its unique skills, and an icy obstacle allows Leap to discover her own gift. Working with vibrant acrylic gouache, When captures the snowy landscape with wide brushstrokes and uses thick multicolored outlining to spotlight the canine subjects’ energy. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)
Cats on Cats on Cats
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Maddie Frost. Viking, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-69069-7
A simple misunderstanding multiplies into a “cat-astrophe” in Frost’s laugh-out-loud picture book. Worried that her doting Granny may be lonely between Beatrix’s visits, the child gifts “something that kept all grannies company”: a cat. Perplexed by the present, Granny misjudges the gesture, assuming that “Beatrix must want one around.” Eager to please her beloved granddaughter, the ambitious “fun grandma” acquires additional felines—a quantity that grows when increasingly frustrated Beatrix jokes “I think you need more cats.” Thin lines, outsize proportions, and googly eyes define the cartoons that animatedly track the cat-driven chaos while foregrounding the companionable relationship of Granny and Beatrix, both portrayed with light brown skin. When Beatrix hatches a wily, balloon-filled plan to rid them of the kitties, Granny, ever-committed to her perception of Beatrix’s wants, swoops in for an undesired save that finally prompts Beatrix to come clean. Frost’s art and plotting amps up the humor on each page of this well-paced comedy. Background characters appear with varied skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)
The Trouble with Children (According to Dog)(The Trouble with Children #1)
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Katie Weaver, illus. by Caner Soylu. Roaring Brook, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-250-43350-3
A canine rhymes its way through a series of observations about its household’s resident kids in Weaver and Soylu’s knowing portrait of family life. “Families are overrated!/ Wait—let me explain!// The grown-ups are okay,/ I guess, but children?/ They’re insane!” the speaker declares, itemizing slights that include overzealous squeezes, yanked fur, and more. As the children’s indistinct forms loom menacingly in the doorway, the dog’s proclamations reach a pinnacle (“I don’t think I can take this torture”). A long head-scratch ushers in a dramatic perspective reversal, forcing the pooch to acknowledge the youths’ acceptably affectionate behaviors. Rendered digitally, grainy earth-toned artwork portrays the canine protagonist as an oversize mauve creature. Even amid the complaints, the pale-skinned humans’ adoration for the hound shines through, spotlighting common kid-pet dynamics. Suggestions for dog interactions conclude. Publishing simultaneously: The Trouble with Children (According to Cat). Ages 4–8. (Nov.)
A Sound in the Night
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María Coco. Rise x Penguin Workshop, $19.99 (64p) ISBN 978-0-5938-9060-8
A camping getaway for a human and pet pooch becomes a tale of found family in this winsome, largely wordless story. Via colored pencil and grease pencil, Coco renders the figures as blue outlines punctuated with orange, pink, and yellow against crisp white backgrounds. Following an action-packed day in the woods, night falls, the background turns deep blue, and the two settle into their tent under a starry, moonlit sky. Then a mysterious, repeating “CRACK” pierces the night, accompanied by a menacing shadow. Summoning their courage, the pair discover a small cat outside their tent. With a nonstop wag and smile, the dog eagerly assents to the feline joining in, and the impromptu playdate turns into a permanent bond. It’s a spare work of pure visual joy wrapped up in fur and friendship. The human protagonist’s skin tone largely echoes each spread’s background color. Ages 2–4. (Oct.)
Lolly on the Ice
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Sarah S. Brannen. Random House, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-71181-1
When pale-skinned Lolly skates with only her father watching from the sidelines, she’s fearless. “She jumped and glided and spun. She skated like a snowflake in the wind,” Brannen writes, as crisp ink and watercolor illustrations show the child gliding on a frozen pond. But Lolly totally freezes when others catch her in action, relegating her to playing a stationary snowperson in a community skating show. After one of the show’s trio of snowflake dancers is injured, the protagonist musters the courage to volunteer—and discovers that she hasn’t been invisible after all. “I’ve seen you skating,” says one of the dancers. “You’re good.” Donning a sparkly costume, Lolly glides into the spotlight, and she and the other snowflakes “flew over the ice together.” Sometimes finding one’s footing—on or off the ice—this picture book hints, is a matter of stepping forward and giving one’s talents their due. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)
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