Pedersen dishes up a tale about the homeless cats in Rome, the Signora who feeds them pasta and one grande gatto who wants a special meal that will make him purr like music. Unlike the other cats, Pino is tired of pasta and wants something better. His food foray to sample fish at the outdoor café, crusts at the pizzeria and stew at the trattoria causes chaos, leaving a trail of broken crockery, startled waiters and annoyed diners, all shooing him away. Yet the fine cuisine leaves him with a pitiful purr, until Pino realizes that the most satisfying meal is Signora’s pasta, because it fills his heart with love and keeps him purring. Illustrations of gouache, watercolor, crayon and pen have a spontaneous air with sketchy lines drolly expressing feline and human reactions. The Rome setting won’t matter to kids because they’ll focus on Pino’s escapades, which are the spice in the sauce here. (Picture book. 5-8)
