PERFECT

An older cat finds his forever home in Loo’s picture book.

Scruff has been living at the animal shelter for a long time, watching as other cats go home with new people. When the shelter has its annual adoption day, Scruff tries to impress prospective owners by singing, dancing, trying to look younger and skinnier, and even attempting to hide the scar on his face. Still, no one wants him—until young Parker walks into the shelter and proclaims Scruff to be her choice. Her mother objects, but the girl has an answer for each issue: “But he is so old….” “Then he will be WISE.” In short, Parker thinks Scruff is “perfect.” After years of wondering what it would be like to live with a family, Scruff discovers that it’s “better than he ever could have dreamed.” The story ends with snapshots of Parker, Scruff, and Mom having adventures together. Arce’s softly colored illustrations are delightful, giving Scruff a wonderfully expressive face. The art is an excellent match for Loo’s equally delightful story, which never asks readers to pity Scruff; instead, it shows him as a loving pet who just needed to find someone who saw him, quite rightly, as special. Parker and her mom are portrayed as Asian; other adopters are shown with a variety of skin tones.

An excellent book on finding an ideal pet for one’s family.