CAT WISHES

A skeptical cat who disavows wishes finds himself pleasantly surprised.

Hungry and alone in a “windy wood,” Cat wishes for something to eat. When he catches a snake, the snake makes a bargain. If Cat spares his life, the snake will grant Cat’s wish. Cat replies, “No such thing as a wish,” but he releases the snake anyway. Wiggling away, the snake promises Cat three wishes. Still hungry and unconvinced, Cat wishes for a Fish—and his wish is granted. As it starts to rain, Cat’s wet and still unconvinced, but he wishes for a house. Soon Cat’s curled up before the fireplace in “his very own house.” Waking up alone in the dark house, Cat still pooh-poohs wishing, but nevertheless, he wishes for a friend—with unexpected results. The spare text relies on clever placement of onomatopoeic words such as “rustle,” “pad,” “splash,” “burp,” “plop,” “sniff,” and “shuff,” to effectively convey Cat’s sensory world. Soft-edged illustrations in pale watercolor washes and digital media visually portray Cat’s environment, emphasizing his solitary condition as he stalks, crouches, coils, pounces, pads, and runs on “whisper feet” across the atmospheric double-page spreads. His expressive face and body tell their own story.

A gentle, feel-good feline fantasy.