I Don't Know What to Call My Cat

March 15, 2017
A little girl is not prepared for the many moods of her new cat.One day she turns up on the doorstep: the cat, that is, complete with tiny umbrella, bottle of milk, and fish-shaped shoulder bag. The cat moves in, making herself at home in that particularly feline way. -That's fine,- thinks the little girl. She likes cats. But what about a name? -Kitty- sounds -just right,- but -Here, Kitty- summons dozens of cats. Several other names are tried--but all are sidelined when the vet tells her the new cat is a boy. What's a good name for a male cat? Rambo? Rocky? He seems to like -Mr. Maestro,- but when the little girl begins to bang on some homemade instruments, he runs away. At the zoo, she shares her troubles with a friendly gorilla named Steve, who goes home with her and is a great pet! Until he's taken away by the Bureau for Naughty Animals. Then, abruptly, the cat comes back, wearing a new collar that includes an appropriate name: Tricky! Bailey's matte illustrations are a riot of color and activity, making the most of the chaos. The protagonist is white and the vet brown-skinned. Philip's tale is certainly quirky--possibly too much so, as he seems to prioritize whimsy over sense. Fun for one read, perhaps, but unlikely to elicit cries for more. (Picture book. 3-5)

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April 1, 2017
Grades K-2 A young girl is surprised and delighted when a cat appears at her doorstep, possessions in tow, and decides to stay. Naming the cat, though, proves a quandary. Kitty brings seemingly every kitty around at mealtime; dressing up the cat and trying Princess High-and-Mighty doesn't work, so perhaps Ethel or Betty or, after a vet visit reveals the cat's a boy, Arnie or Rocky, but nothing seems to stick. Mr. Maestro seems to workthe cat starts playing violinbut when she enthusiastically joins in, the resulting din sends the kitty fleeing. She can't find him anywhere, including the zoo, but she brightens when a friendly gorilla named Steve follows her home, at least for a while. Before long, though, Steve goes back to the zoo, and (somewhat suspiciously) her cat returns, now with an ID collar definitely naming him Tricky. Colorful, energetic illustrations pack the pages with patterned, cartoonish elements and droll, scrutiny-inviting details, including Tricky's covert surveillance endeavors, which extend the story and contrast humorously with the girl's brief, matter-of-fact descriptions of events. An amusing, entertaining read, particularly for cat-lovers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
A girl struggles to pick the perfect name for her new cat: Jane? Rambo? Mr. Maestro? Fed up, he runs away; his return improbably involves a trip to the zoo, a (gorilla) replacement, an art heist, and a feline sleuth. The girl's oblivious first-person narration plays it straight, allowing pastel-toned illustrations full of clever cat details to reveal the humorously outrageous story.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)