NO DOGS ALLOWED!

Proof, once again, that archetypal enemies can become friends.

Bud, a large marmalade cat with strong opinions and decidedly anthropomorphic appearance and abilities, is perfectly happy living and playing with his cat friend Gabby, as readers of their eponymous first adventure may remember. The sudden appearance of Cookie, a black-and-white dog, displeases Bud mightily. Gentle Gabby, however, seems only too willing to make friends with the interloper. Bud puts up with Cookie’s antics at first but soon grows jealous and insists that dogs aren’t allowed in their house. Then a storm cloud and Gabby’s tender heart persuade him otherwise. Simple declarative sentences communicate the action concisely but also allow for subtle humor, as when Bud observes “Umbrellas are tricky for cats…” Richly colored paintings have a primitive feel that meshes well with the understated text. Effective, if potentially confusing, multiple representations of the same character on a single page convey movement, while slight changes in the position of ears and eyes telegraph changing emotions. There are no real surprises and not much obvious motivation for Bud’s about-face, but readers will likely be pleased with the happy ending.

Definitely predictable but potentially entertaining, as well as useful to parents looking for yet another paean to the merits of learning to share