LITTLE SPOTTED CAT

Little Spotted Cat finds several diversions to forestall taking a nap: jumping, tangling yarn, drinking cool water and hopping with a grasshopper. After each incident and accident, he says, “Oh no! Meow! What will Mama Say?” The narrative verse feels forced and is more doggerel than kittenish. The oil illustrations favor a 1950s retro look overlaid with cartoonish shapes, making the cats look more like plush toys than animals. The odd delineations of the cats with fat-whiskers and jellybean noses miss being cuddly or sweet, and instead of having lots of spots, Little Cat’s head is symmetrically lined in half down his face, one side brown and the other buff. An old theme with a camp approach, but in spite of the colorful artwork, the appeal pales and the tale is stale. (Picture book. 2-4)