Review by Booklist Review
In an endlessly amusing and strangely thought-provoking premise ( based on the Ig Nobel Prize-winning investigation ), cats are depicted doing everyday things lounging, napping, climbing, peeing, bathing while the text offers double entendres that could refer to the physiology of either housecats or of liquids. As Cats fill. / Cats spill. / Cats flow downhill, we see a row of beakers with contented kitten heads poking out, one of them tipping over and taking a glass of milk along for the ride. A diverse cast of child-scientists in lab coats interacts with the subjects, all of whom seem quite pleased, free to make mischief in the name of science. Saburi wields a wide array of breeds, depicting them in adorably simple poses reminiscent of Pusheen. Donnelly's pouncing rhymes are kept interesting by sections that mix up the rhythm, along with variations on the refrain: Cats are a liquid / except when they're not. Pair this gem with A Greyhound, a Groundhog (2017) for a rollicking story time inclusive of cat- and dog- (and hog-) lovers.--Ronny Khuri Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Inspired by an actual scientific paper, this amusing STEM picture book explores whether and how cats are a liquid "based on the way cats... fill up any container they squeeze themselves into. As Donnelly's loose, easy rhymes ("Cats slop./ Cats plop./ Cats drizzle,/ slosh,/ flop") playfully probe the proposition, cleverly riffing on liquid's qualities, the book's humor is largely visual. Digital illustrations by Saburi fully exploit the investigation with screwball scenes of kitties stuffed into beakers, lying melted in a patch of sun, drifting through the sky like mist, and wreaking classic cat havoc as they're tested by an inclusive group of child scientists. As Donnelly and Saburi display, liquid-ish felines make delightful, funny subjects for scientific research and picture books alike. Back matter includes a recipe for cornstarch "oobleck" and further information about the science joke at the heart of the book. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A bevy of things cats are and aren't is explored in rhythmic, poetic text. "Cats fill./Cats spill./Cats flow downhill./Cats tip./Cats drip./Cats grip, snip, rip./Cats are a liquid/except when they're not." A vast variety of hilarious cats and kid scientists are depicted on the spreads, which match and give depth to the text, as they explore the laws of nature. There is plenty of action, great facial expressions, and movement as text placement varies on each page. A kid-friendly afterword explains the genesis of the question "Are cats liquid?," discusses matter, and has a recipe for a simple semi-solid. VERDICT A humorous, poetic look at the solidity of cats in all their manifestations. The perfect segue to a science or poetry lesson, and good read-aloud fun as well.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A group of precocious experimenters demonstrates a tongue-in-cheek science hypothesis that has been popularized on the internet.Very brief rhyming text fancifully describes the actions of a number of smiling, stylized cats "Cats fillspilltipdripslop [and] plop." In sum, "cats are a liquid except when they're not." This appears twice as a refrain and then shifts to "A cat's not a liquid except when it is." Cartoony illustrations, created in Adobe Photoshop, feature a host of children in white lab coats busily measuring, chasing, cuddling, cleaning up after, and otherwise interacting with a plethora of cats and kittens. Diversity is implied via varied skin tones and clothing choices (one girl wears hijab). Limited background details keep the focus on the cute cats; black outlines and a subdued palette give the pictures an amusingly retro feel. Although the author provides a brief explanation and a citation for the paper that helped to inspire this STEM-oriented picture book, the joke (and the science behind it) may be beyond the grasp of much of the intended audience. The childlike feel of the pictures and rhythmic brevity of the text, on the other hand, may turn off older listeners. A foray into weather comparisons ("Cats are clouds in the atmosphere. Evaporate. Precipitate") only adds to the confusion. An included activity, making "oobleck," further explores the qualities of liquids and solids. A fun experiment but not an entirely successful one. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
