LOOK OUT, CINDER!
by Dorothea Lachner & translated by Rosemary Lanning & illustrated by Eugen Sopko
A lackluster tale of blossoming friendship without enough meat on its bones to feed a cat. Cinder is a stray cat who, frightened by a fire truck, mistakenly leaps into the back of a van and is ferried to a strange neighborhood. The cats there are aggressive and territorial, so Cinder stays clear, but tries to emulate their hunting and singing. The amused cats no longer chase Cinder away, but only the threat of real danger makes them realize just how much they like the little newcomer. This tale starts out pointless and stays there, unless the lesson is that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in order to survive, it's best to cozy up to the right types—the bullies, in this case. (Picture book. 5-8)