CAT & DOG

A cat and dog who live together explore opposites.

A red cat and a blue dog tell a story that, on each spread, features pairs of opposites, usually one word each. On the first spread, the cat watches the dog sleep on a rug: “Awake” and “Asleep.” The book’s type colors match the protagonists’ coloring: red for the cat and blue for the dog. The cat—sly, mischievous, and usually annoyed—likes to antagonize the dog, starting on a spread where it attacks the resting dog (“Brave” and “Afraid’). While the dog is “upset” after the cat topples a potted plant onto its head, the cat is “unconcerned.” They head outside, unsuccessfully chase a bird, and end up hugging (“Friends!”), though the cat still looks bothered by the affection. Readers can remove the book’s dust jacket to see the cat looking over his shoulders at readers on the “Front” cover; on the “Back” cover, the cat is now fully turned away. The pairings of opposites are straightforward, though one is unexpected: “Oops!” as the cat falls off a tree branch while stalking the bird, who says, “Phew!” Though individual moments can be amusing, both dog and cat are rendered in ways that convey little to no expression or character, which hinders engagement. The story, translated from French, is scant, and plenty more concept books about opposites exist that offer more substance.

Stylish, but its story doesn’t stand out.