LOOK OUT, CAT!

Cat skateboards past animals in this board book that showcases rhymes.

Purcell’s Cat, from Cat Goes Fast (2020) and other titles, is back on wheels again. As Cat zips by via skateboard, other animals also whiz along, each with its own descriptive rhyme. There’s a goose “on the loose,” a duck “in a truck,” and a bear “in the air,” for example. The formulaic setup line “Look out, Cat!” is always followed by the approaching animal’s rhyme and appropriate onomatopoeia. It’s this familiar cadence that helps little readers begin to predict what will come next, the oinks or beeps often appearing before a page turn, inviting prediction and participation. It all proceeds per formula until the giggle-producing bait and switch as Rat appears without a rhyme but carrying ice cream cones to share with Cat. As with the other Cat books, the illustrations are simple, with bold blue backgrounds and a bit of grass across the bottom of each page. It serves to emphasize Cat’s movement around the page, making subtle changes more pronounced, encouraging readers to notice them. The only disappointment in the illustrations is the fly that looks confusingly like a gray bee. As a bonus, the book does not include any gendered pronouns. Purcell’s careful use of language and simple, thoughtful illustration are the strengths of this series.

Move over, Spot, there’s a new Cat in town.