Review by Booklist Review
Cats or dogs? Which is the better companion for a human? The cheeky orange cat tells the little boy at the pet store, I'm the perfect pet for you. However, the boy also picks up a sweet and lovable blue dog to adopt. In several humorous pages, the cat argues and demonstrates that she is nonpareil in elegance, grace, intelligence, and, especially, cleanliness. The adorable but muddy dog is pictured in an overflowing bath bucket, covered with soap bubbles. Eventually, our arrogant puss discovers that her superiority complex has made her isolated and friendless. So in a happy ending, she reaches a compromise, as she contentedly shares the dog's bed in purrfect harmony. Illustrations done in a bold palette depict funny examples of unhappy cats and dogs not chosen by the boy, as well as the expressive faces of the two pets. The line drawings on the endpapers continue the story with felines and canines in all shapes and sizes, so children can ponder the variables in pet selection.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Cats make better pets than dogs--just ask this book's feline narrator. Despite the tabby's protests, a child adopts a pup at the same time. Bright, childlike paintings reveal that the smug-seeming narrator is not as secure in the new owner's affections (nor as well behaved) as claimed. Eventually the cat rethinks its stance, resulting in a heartwarming conclusion: "sometimes a dog can be...purrfect." (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A clear manifesto from a finicky feline to a new owner.There's no mistaking who's the boss in this arrangement. "Congratulations. I'm your new cat.You may take me home now," the story begins. When the friendly little light-skinned boy (who resembles a Playskool kid) also adopts an eager blue dog, the cute orange kitten knows that this is a big mistake and firmly makes the case for feline superiority. A cat is more elegant and graceful, not to mention smarter. Maybe a dog would play fetch, but a cat knows how to entertain itselfby clawing the furniture! A dog yips and yaps and whines while a cat is musical; just listen to that purr. A cat won't chew up your toys and takes care to clean itself, while a dog gets messy and dirty and needs splashy baths. But on the other hand, the cat muses, maybe a dog is not too bad if he knows his place. And sometimes, truth to tell, a cat can get lonely and just might snuggle with a dog. The orange kitten hops into bed right next to the blue dog. "Purrfect." Singleton's minimal text, narrated entirely by the cat, is well-matched by Martin's bright illustrations, whose simple yet evocative shapes might have been drawn by a child, although their juxtaposition with the wry text yields lots of funny subtext. Catnip for cat owners. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
