NO CATS ALLOWED

by Lois Simmie ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1996

It's a rainy night in Vancouver when a skinny gray cat decides not to be a stray anymore, and scratches on the window of Mr. Foster, manager of the Sylvia Hotel. Taking pity, Mr. Foster allows the cat in with the proviso that when the rain stops, it's out he goes. In the meantime, the cat wins the heart of the cook, bellhop, and maid as he settles into sumptuous new digs. A climactic fight with a raccoon and a subsequent visit to the vet seal the cat's fate as permanent hotel fixture. Simmie's telling is stylish and well-paced, offering in the details the slightly officious but soft-hearted manager and the supremely confident, increasingly conceited cat. Nugent's watercolors intensify the text's humor; her talent is in rendering scenes in a straightforward manner while achieving both broad satire in the characterization of eccentric individuals and subtlety in their postures and facial expressions. Poring over the details is a must: Nugent's cat version of Edvard Munch's The Scream surfaces, as does evidence of the cat's growing acceptance among the staff--including Mr. Foster. A cozy tale of coming home, executed with an edge that makes it interesting.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1996

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Chronicle

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1996

Categories: CHILDREN'S