Review by Booklist Review
Jeffery Fluffy McSnuggle Tum is a domesticated cat, but when the rain coops him up indoors, he starts to get a bit wild. Jeff imagines himself a tiger and dares anyone around to fear his awesome paws and watch him prowl. His imagination takes him to the jungle, where he encounters a few animals, including--gulp!--an actual tiger, which is enough to scare the helpless kitten back into himself. Rozelaar's hand-painted cut-paper collage artwork is lovely. The act of using an armchair's rain forest print to transition seamlessly into and out of the bright, emerald-green jungle is particularly clever, and the orange palette used to render Jeff (and mirrored wonderfully in the tiger) truly pops. While there are too many near rhymes and awkwardly cadenced couplets to make the story a solid read-aloud, it's clear the author-illustrator understands the concept of reader participation by her use of repetition and page reveals. Perhaps this book will find its home more in the lap of a cat-loving child than in a storytime.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--Jeffrey Fluffy McSnuggle-Tum, or Jeff for short, is an orange-striped cat fueled by a huge imagination and a strong sense of self. On a rainy afternoon, he uses both to become a tiger with hilarious results. Jeff begins his prowling about in his home, but soon falls asleep on a chair and dreams he is in a jungle acting as a tiger until he meets one. Rozelaar (The Great Pumpkin Contest) creates a playful space of repetition children will want to reenact as Jeff shows off his claws and bellows a mighty roar. Gouache and collage are used for the digital artwork, which brings movement, depth, and dynamism to the spreads. Jeff's sassiness and cleverness sparkle across his face and in words, especially when he meets the dream tiger, and he quickly adapts without losing his sense of self. VERDICT Every library needs Jeff to empower children to be themselves, dream big, and that it's okay to be a little wild.--Rachel Zuffa, Case H.S., Racine, WI
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