Blue Cat

July 15, 2019
A cat engages in typical feline behavior before settling in for a snuggle. Blue Cat smiles out from the cover. Blue Cat's fur has a textured, almost stuccolike look, and the character's edges are slightly blurred, creating a sense of softness. Inside, the illustrations have a collage-style appearance and folk-art feel. Some items in the pictures are textured like Blue Cat, others have crosshatching, both fine (the floor) and coarse (yarn balls). Still others, such as the wallpaper and curtains, are smooth, with small repeating patterns. These echo the designs on the front (floral) and back (hearts and cherries) endpapers. The brief text consists of short declarative sentences, most starting with "Blue Cat" and including just one other word: "Blue Cat lounges...stretches...swats," etc. After taking a flying leap at the fish bowl and spending some time being petted (as the fish gives Blue Cat serious side-eye), Blue Cat hears something and takes off again. Readers will likely be surprised to discover that Blue Cat should more accurately be called Blue Kitten, as is clear in comparison with the much larger (bright red) Mama Cat. The brevity and predictability of the text suggest that this would be most suitable for toddlers. Older listeners might be happier with Kathi Appelt and Penelope Dullaghan's more energetic and equally blue Max (Max Attacks, 2019). Appealing illustrations and minimal, repetitive text make this ideal for toddlers. (Picture book. 2-5)

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October 14, 2019
A darling, curious kitty stars in this rhythmic story. With rough-hewn textures and classic colors, Ryan’s collage-like illustrations feature Blue Cat doing what cats do best: lounging, stretching, swatting at toys, purring in human arms, and very nearly knocking something over. A slight element of mystery is introduced when “Blue Cat listens,” mouth in a little round o, to something off-page and then “peeks,” “sneaks,” and “creeps” toward it before pouncing. What does the fearsome feline stalk? The presence of a large red food bowl tucked beside Blue Cat’s own smaller bowl offers a hint. A quiet book about lively household exploration. Ages 5–6.

January 24, 2020

PreS-K-This title depicts Blue Cat's day. Like many felines, Blue Cat gets into mischief all day. This is a good book for toddlers and young readers, since the simple text and pictures work well in conveying the meaning of the story. For example, there is a two-page spread where Blue Cat jumps up on the table with the goldfish and almost knocks over the bowl. The text reads, "Blue Cat jumps, splashes, almost crashes." The illustrations show Blue Cat pouncing on the table and putting its paw in the fishbowl. Fortunately, the tale ends happily. Turning the page, the reader sees the goldfish is safe on the table. Blue Cat is calm and happy in its owner's arms illustrating the word purr. Another strength of this title is the vocabulary. It introduces words like creep and pounce with illustrations that can help toddlers decode their meaning. VERDICT Recommended purchase for public and school libraries. This is a perfect title for a toddler storytime because of the short text and illustrations that work well to convey the plot.-Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

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