Lily's Cat Mask

Starred review from March 15, 2017
Small, brown-skinned Lily is able to navigate her world more easily when she wears a cat mask. -Lily wasn't sure she wanted to get new things for school, but her father said it would be fun.- The tiny child is walking next to her father, whose left hand reaches for a pink-striped shirt on a clothes rack as his right hand rests lightly on Lily's curly head. The gentle washes of watercolor combine with not-quite-realistic images to enhance the text and create an underlying tone of nonthreatening humor. The slant of the willful preschooler's body, for example, is exaggerated but resonates as true to life. When Lily is captivated by the only cat mask on a shelf of masks, her dad does -something unusual- and buys it for her. Lily wears it out of the store--and then everywhere possible, quickly realizing the advantages. Most adults completely humor the child, but when Lily starts school, Ms. Ito, her Japanese-American teacher, insists that Lily wear the mask only at recess time. Excellent artwork that will be easily understood by children shows Lily as shy but not ostracized by her diverse classmates. There is a bit of rebellion, followed by a bit of teacher push back, but not the meltdown that might be expected--probably because Lily is learning how to cope without the mask. The surprise ending is equally sweet and reassuring. Shy and confident children alike will enjoy this story. (Picture book. 3-5)

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May 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-"Lily wasn't sure she wanted to get new things for school, but her father said it would be fun." The following page shows the child dragging her father backward as they are approached by an eager acquaintance. During this push-pull shopping trip, Lily spies a one-of-a-kind cat mask, and her father surprises her by buying it for her when she asks. She wears it right out of the store. Going forward, Lily wears the mask whenever she wants to hide from the world as well as when she wants to be noticed. The mask works both ways because it conceals her face and feelings while its novelty allows her to stand out. Bright, expressive spot art expands the text by capturing the moments and details that are most poignant for Lily-masked Lily making a wish over her birthday candles, her father introducing his masked daughter to her new teacher, Lily sitting alone at recess with her expression completely hidden behind the smiling cat mask. Navigating the transition to school is a challenge for Lily, but the mask (when it is not lost or confiscated in the teacher's drawer) gives her the extra confidence she needs to persevere, and ultimately leads her to a special, new friend. VERDICT This honest and appealing character and her story will be a joy to share and may bring comfort to readers and listeners nervous about starting school or making other transitions.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

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