A GALLERY OF CATS

During a museum outing with his grandmother, a boy wanders into an exhibition that yields the unexpected.

“Jackson” is the first image that readers encounter. The black, yellow, and orange drip painting features a feline-shaped white space at the base and a paint-splattered cat emerging on the right. The label for the Jackson Pollack–inspired piece reads: “Adventurous and curious… / but messy.” As Tom, a pale-skinned youngster in shorts and sandals, meanders along, the labels indirectly communicate something about the parodied artists as a stylistically appropriate cat crawls out of each work to join the parade. (The artists, mostly male Europeans, are listed after the conclusion with dates and nationalities.) René Magritte’s animal is blue, dotted with clouds; M.C. Escher’s white twins “sometimes find the world / puzzling.” Ultimately, Henri Rousseau’s tiger sends the terrified kitties back to their respective artworks, except for Jackson, now nearly paint-free, who bids Tom farewell. It’s always fun for children to imagine entering paintings or interacting with their subjects, and while this book is thin on action, young people and adults who know the originals (and are therefore in on the humor) or who enjoy looking at skillfully rendered art will appreciate the experience. As sometimes happens, the publishing planets aligned: The American edition of this U.K. edition publishes the same season as Brian Lies’ Cat Nap (2025), the story of a cat chasing a mouse through historically diverse artworks. Both books offer playful explorations of gallery treasures.

Visually enticing, inviting repeat visits.