ROSENCRANTZ LAUNDRY BASKET

An anxious cat learns lessons from family members with various skills in Kott-Tannenbaum’s brief picture book.

Rosencrantz is a 2-year-old tuxedo cat whose nickname is “Rosie.” Sometimes Rosie is scared of loud noises, such as vacuum cleaners and fireworks, so he hides. Luckily, Rosie’s older brother, Guildenstern—known as “Gil”—teaches Rosie that feeling afraid is perfectly fine. Gil is so courageous that he’s even been on an airplane before. Rosie’s sister, Portia, is also brave around loud noises; she even dances when the vacuum starts. Rosencrantz practices being brave himself by exploring new places outdoors, and he works on his balance to move like Portia. After a busy day, Rosie feels more confident in his skills, and also ready to do what he does best: curl up in his favorite place—a laundry basket—and nap. Kott-Tannenbaum’s kids’ story has a somewhat subtle message—it’s great to learn new things, as long as you know yourself—that may be unclear to kids on first reading. Not until the last page does the title of the story make sense, which may initially confuse some, but Fu’s full-color, painterly illustrations have a certain sweetness to them, and Rosie’s eyes convey plenty of emotion—happiness, uncertainty, excitement—throughout the gentle story.

A pleasant, if slightly uneven, cat tale with a lesson about facing one’s fears.