Wild

PreS-Gr 2–“Cats have minds of their own” could have been the alternative title to this sweet story about a boy and his granddad who care for a community cat. The cat, who is a regular visitor to the grandfather’s house, appears to arrive on schedule for reasons only known to it. Sometimes it’s for food, sometimes a cuddle, and other times to play. On this particular “cat caring day,” however, the cat does not want any of this from the grandfather or grandson, who is losing enthusiasm for the cat with each rebuff. The cat, as it turns out, is just passing through on its way to other adventures. Usher’s writing and illustrations evoke the work of the late Maurice Sendak and effortlessly leap from reality to imagination. The cat’s disinterest in the boy’s attempts at interaction are comically depicted in multiple ink and watercolor drawings on several spreads, which later become lush habitats for cats (large and small) in the wild.