CANTSEE: The Cat Who Was the Color of the Carpet

by Gretchen Schields ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1996

Mr. Blue is a kindly old soul with a soft spot for homeless cats and dogs, using the good offices of his emporium to find them caretakers. Just before Christmas, one kitten remains; that's because it blends in so well with its surroundings, it can't be seen. Mr. Blue takes the kitten back to his place, a fanciful Victorian abode, where the cat promptly melts away ""into all the clutter and patterns,"" then reappears when least expected. All this is too much for Mr. Blue's fragile nervous system, so he makes plans to give the cat, dubbed Cantsee, away. Cantsee gets wind of Mr. Blue's intentions. When gifts of mice and worms fail to thrill Mr. Blue, or make him change his mind, the cat vanishes into the background, only to emerge again, as unexpectedly as before, to thwart robbers who have bound Mr. Blue to a chair and are making off with his frippery. Although the text is longer than most picture-book fare, this is a fresh story with a sweet duo at its center. Schields makes the most of the premise; her illustrations become gleeful when demonstrating the cat's chameleon-like changes.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1996

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Gulliver/Harcourt Brace

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1996

Categories: CHILDREN'S