NIBLET & RALPH

Readers meet a duo of feline friends whose mix-up due to an uncanny resemblance leads to the meeting of two new potential human friends.

Niblet and Ralph look alike…a lot alike. But only the two friends realize that they live in the same building. When meowing on the phone loses its excitement, the two friends decide simultaneously and independently to visit each other, only to discover that the other isn’t there. When Ralph’s and Niblet’s adorable children, Gemma, a girl with straight black hair and light brown skin, and Dilla, a black boy, return to their respective homes, they notice immediately that something is awry. “Not Niblet” refuses his favorite cheesy chips, and “Fake Ralph” hates his usual hugs. At night Gemma and Dilla imagine all of the horrible fates that could have befallen their beloved pets: Have they been kidnapped by a robot? Have they been eaten by a dog, stolen, or carried off by birds? When Gemma and Dilla decide to scour the neighborhood and post fliers in search of their furry family members, they collide in an uproarious fashion. Using a palette of turquoise, orange, brown, and black and his trademark heavy black line, OHora invests all his characters with plenty of personality, even the two seemingly identical calico cats.

OHora has fused bright and engaging artwork highlighting the beauty and diversity of this community apartment building with a truly endearing story that is sure to amuse young readers.