Cats' Night Out

February 8, 2010
What better way to illustrate the concept of counting by twos than with pairs of dancing cats? Newcomer Klassen’s subdued twilit cityscapes form an unexpectedly noir backdrop for the sprightly kitties, whose costumes depend on the dance (“Four cats boogie, rock to blues,/ in poodle skirts and saddle shoes”). Rows of darkened windows and brick walls are punctuated by fire escapes and hanging laundry, lit with a misty blend of starlight and streetlamps. The dependable rhythms of Stutson’s (Mama Loves You
) verse are reflected in the faces of the dancers. With closed eyes and intent expressions, these hepcats take their work seriously, as they samba on rooftops, line dance on traffic lights, and polka in a city fountain. It continues until they are interrupted by shouts from cranky city dwellers: “ 'Cut it out!
’ the neighbors shriek./ 'No more dancing on Easy Street!
’ ” The cats’ eyes snap open in surprise and they slink off as the sun rises. This should confirm kids’ beliefs that all the best stuff happens after bedtime. Ages 4–8.

February 1, 2010
Gr 2-4-This elegant book opens: "From the alley, music drifts./Shadows sway to a trumpet riff]." Klassen's eye-catching digitally rendered urban streetscapes resemble the sets of classic musical theater. Cats appear two by two; their costumes change with each dance. The first pair sambas in white; four cats boogie in poodle skirts and saddle shoes; six tango in red capes; and so on until 20 cats conga in splashy florals, plaids, and stripes. Ultimately, the sleepy neighbors appear and shout them down, with a "Cut it out!" The finely detailed illustrations feature a subdued palette of brown, gray, and charcoal enlivened by splashes of color. The subtle charms of this lighter-than-air confection should delight young connoisseurs of dance and style."Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2010
Preschool-K Its Saturday night on Easy Street, and this jazzy counting book reveals that the citys hot spots are its rooftops, fire escapes, and alleyways, where pairs of cool kitties dance the night away. As music rises into the night air, 2 cats samba in white, while nearby 4 more felines boogie in saddle shoes and poodle skirts, and still 6 more tango in capes on fire escapes. Their numbers increase, until finally, when 20 hep cats conga on clotheslines, the neighbors revolt. Stutsons syncopated rhymes sport fun flourishes of dance and fashion vocabulary (Twelve town tabbies do the twist, / swinging their hips in dotted Swiss) and a catchy refrain, but its Klassens atmospheric, retro illustrations that take the lead. The stellar digitally rendered illustrations in a muted gray and brown palette may resonate more with urban sophisticates than children learning their numbers, but the detailed cityscapes, hidden numbers, and appealing big-city cats will give little ones plenty to explore.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)