KIRKUS REVIEW
What’s Arfy to do when he finds a stray kitten in a drainpipe?
Arfy’s human’s allergic to cats, so his new buddy needs a home. The pup picks up his pencil and writes a letter of introduction to the music teacher. “Scamper likes to eat, play, and poop in a box. He also likes to sing!” Scamper carries the letter to Maestro Mitch’s house. Mitch is charmed, but he sends Scamper back with a letter saying the kitten’s high notes are too much. Arfy pens a second letter, hoping to place Scamper with the triplet babies next door. Their snuggling turns out to be too much for Scamper; he runs away. Arfy’s third letter introduces Scamper to Emily Lugnut the mechanic, offering the puss as a mouser…but Scamper’s more interested in playing with the mice than catching them; Emily returns him with a note and an apology. Neither the talent agent nor the man with cat-themed decorations works out either. Scamper thanks Arfy in a note of his own. It’s only when the little furball enumerates his favorite parts of each attempted placement that Arfy realizes the perfect home for his new friend and writes one last letter of introduction. Cummings’ follow-up to Arfy’s winning debut, Can I Be Your Dog? (2018), is equally charming. The colorful and dynamic illustrations oppose each item of correspondence on verso against a scene on recto to tell the tale hand in paw with Arfy’s missives and the answering letters. Humans of diverse races live in Arfy’s town.
A heartwarming epistolary tale of helpfulness. (Picture book. 3-8)
