KITTY AND CAT

Sometimes it takes a little while for opposites to attract.

Using just a word or two per page, Hokkanen tells a story of burgeoning friendship. An “old” black cat (with a white circle around one eye) is snoozing unsuspecting when the family introduces a “new” white kitten (with a black circle around one eye). The old cat is understandably “grumpy,” while the new kitten is quite “happy” to have giant cat furniture to explore. The kitten is, of course, “energetic”; the cat is “exhausted” just watching the little one’s antics. The troubles ramp up when the cat is “asleep” and the kitten is “awake.” The kitten chomps on cat’s fluffy tail. Cat retaliates, pushing kitten out through the cat door. The cat is “inside,” while the kitten is “outside” (in the rain). Finally, the cat brings the “wet” kitten in to lick it “dry.” Relations still take a while to thaw, but they bond over dinner. Unfortunately, the cats’ owners aren’t done introducing new family members. The concise text, made up entirely of opposite words, is effective, while the digitally created illustrations of the protagonists will make cat lovers smile; together, text and art convey a simple story of the developing relationship between the new fur-siblings. Human faces aren’t portrayed; readers see only a pair of light-skinned arms. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Brevity is the soul of wit in this endearing tale of two kitties.