Review by Booklist Review
Big, yellow, and looking well-fed, Cat snubs his food because it's dry and dull and not very yummy. In search of something better, he quizzes a series of other animals about what they eat, before rejecting each of their gastronomical choices. Turtle's worms wiggle (Eww. No thank you); Fox's rabbits bounce; Chimp's ants bite; and Cat won't even consider Lion's zebras. The tables are turned when Cat is approached by Mouse, who asks him what cats eat. With perked ears and a lick of the lips, Cat responds, Hmm . . . I think I've just figured it out. The final pages show Mouse running away, and the reader is left to speculate what might happen. Mixed-media illustrations in retro muted colors alternate between scenes of Cat conversing with the animals and the animals pursuing their meals. The clear and uncluttered illustrations, combined with a brief text consisting entirely of dialogue, make this ideal for sharing with various-sized audiences. However, be ready for conversations about the open ending and the culinary and predatory habits of specific animals.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A beefy yellow cat narrates Neal's tale; he's through with cat food, he says. After sending his kibble flying with a kick, he sets off in search of tastier fare and surveys other animals. "What does a turtle eat," he asks. "Worms, of course," is the turtle's reply. "But I must warn you, they wiggle." Neal's animals, painted in milky colors, have a folktale look suited to the story's traditional question-and-answer form and use of repetition. Several animals later, the cat is no closer to satisfaction: "I'm really hungry and searching for something yummy to eat that doesn't wiggle, bounce, or bite and that isn't too big, too dry, or too boring." Suddenly, a mouse appears and asks what a cat eats. The jolt of electricity is palpable; the cat lowers its body and licks its lips. "I think I've just figured it out. But I must warn you..." he says. Though the mouse escapes, the biggest surprise is the cat's transformation from idle observer into glittery-eyed predator. Perhaps that's the story's lesson-the right choice is the one that instantly focuses our attention. Ages 4-6. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-A persnickety cat refuses to eat cat food and searches for a tastier alternative by asking other animals what they eat. Each creature's answer, however, comes with a warning. Turtle's worm diet is wiggly. The rabbits Fox eats are bouncy. Chimps eat ants that bite, and Lion eats zebras that are too big. Elephant eats dry grass and the "phosphorescent phytoplankton" that Whale eats is just "too weird." When a mouse arrives and asks, "What does a cat eat?" however, Cat discovers the perfect food and offers its own warning to the little creature. Neal's mixed-media artwork depicts a large orange cat full of personality, viewed initially sprawled across a spread frowning at its food dish. Next the feline kicks the dish away while it prances off, nose in the air, to seek better fare. Each time it approaches a new animal, Cat conveys, cumulatively, all the reasons why it rejects the other animals' food. The large illustrations often present face-to-face views of Cat and the animals it encounters. Whale and Elephant are so large they appear in parts over two pages. Although Fox and Lion chase their prey, no actual capture is visible, and only Turtle is seen with a meal in its mouth. Even Mouse seems to be successfully running for safety on the endpapers. VERDICT The large illustrations make this a natural choice for storytime. Youngsters will love repeating Cat's question to each animal and joining the feline in its cumulative list of objections. Requests for repeated readings are inevitable.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
As a feline embarks on a quest to find more appetizing fare than dry cat food, it questions a fox, lion, whale, and others about their dietary preferences. Neal's simple renderings of a finicky cat with attitude will delight young readers (whether picky eaters or not), but the ending--which suggests a mouse is doomed--feels abrupt. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A finicky cat searches for a meal to satisfy its hunger in this darkly humorous tale.A marmalade cat turns its nose up to cat food and asks other animals what they eat in order to find its next meal. Each animal's food of choice, however, seems unappetizing to the cat. Turtle's wiggly worms, Fox's bouncy rabbits, Chimp's biting ants, and Elephant's dry grass, among other choices, meet with Cat's disdain. The text follows a cumulative pattern that has Cat listing all of the reasons it rejects others' foods as it approaches each successive animal. When nave Mouse arrives on the scene, however, Cat perks up when it asks, "What does a cat eat?" The conclusion of the book doesn't definitively show Mouse's probable, sad fate, but a final spread depicts Cat ready to pounce on a wide-eyed Mouse, and closing endpapers show Mouse scurrying away through what seems to be scattered, rejected cat food. Throughout, mixed-media illustrations are eye-catching and expressive with bold, large forms set against spare backgrounds, making the book a sure bet for storytime success with large groups. You will read this (and reread it, too). (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
