Is That a Cat?

June 8, 2015
Hamilton (But!) takes readers on a wild goose chase through a typical suburban neighborhood—all that’s missing is a wild goose. “I wish I had another cat to hang out with,” says a glum house cat as the book opens. “Hey, is that a cat?” he wonders, spotting what looks to be a curved orange tail—just like his—outside. No dice: the “tail” is actually an umbrella handle. “I’m an elf who wants some rain so I can test my umbrella!” explains the umbrella’s holder, who is being showered with blue droplets. “Is this rain?” Nope. The “rain” is the tears of a bear, sitting on the roof and mourning his lost boot. As a warbler-seeking birder, a tree doctor, and others join the growing crew, the sheer unpredictably of who will show up next becomes a significant part of the book’s fun. Hamilton’s jittery drawings are right in step with the book’s oddball atmosphere, and by the time readers get to the pool party at the end, they may have forgotten how it all got started in the first place. Ages 4–8.

July 1, 2015
Will this series of mistaken identities have a happy ending? "I wish I had another cat to hang out with," says an orange tabby. Then she sees what she thinks might be the crook of a cat's tail outside the window. When she goes to investigate, she finds an elf hoping for rain so he can test his new umbrella (the crook the cat saw). The elf thinks he's found his rainstorm, but it's the copious tears of a bear who's sad he's lost his boot. The bear thinks he sees his boot off in the distance, but that turns out to be the nose of a dog looking for a bone. The group grows with each case of mistaken identity, until, with a bird looking for a worm, they all find a boy filling his pool and hoping for a party of friends. When a group of kids passes him by without a glance, the cat asks the boy if the ragtag bunch of questers could stay and have a party. Much splashing fun ensues. Hamilton's easy-reading picture book, told all in apparently hand-lettered dialogue bubbles, is a nice twist on the cumulative tale. Listeners and young readers alike will enjoy trying to guess what each item is before it's revealed. The author's scratchy watercolor-and-ink cartoon illustrations are, of course, a perfect match. Even the endpapers are in on the fun. (Picture book. 2-5)

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September 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-A bored house cat looking for a playmate sees a curved object outside his window that could be a cat's tail. But a turn of the page reveals it is the handle of an umbrella carried by an elf hoping for rain. What appears to be rain is shown on the next page to be a crying bear looking for his boot. The pattern continues with a new question and visual puzzle on each spread that requires the reader to turn the page to find the answer. The group of animal and human searchers increase, and they eventually find a boy in a small backyard pool looking for kids to party with him. Although the characters don't find what they seek, a pool party makes for a happy ending. The simple text written in large print is easy enough for beginning readers to decode. Hamilton's jagged drawings, created with pen and ink, watercolor, and digital tools, feature misshapen characters who clunk across the page. VERDICT A fun concept that doesn't quite hit the mark.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

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