Skeleton Cat

PreS-Gr 2—After his grave is zapped by lightning, a skeleton cat pops out of the ground and decides to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a drummer. The ghosts laugh at him, and people and animals try to stop him, but the determined feline arrives at the band audition to prove that those old cat bones have soul. The stylized font and irregular text placement along with the lively page design and comic-spooky digital cartoons keep the story moving. The chorus of "Rattle, rattle./Clink, clink./Rattle, rattle, clink./Tip tap. Clickety-clack./Ka-plink, ka-plink, ka-plink," which repeats throughout the rhymed text, could make for a fun read-aloud, although the final drum solo goes on a bit too long. This original paperback may not hold up to regular library use, but could be an additional purchase for not-so-scary storytimes.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT