The Cat Book

PreS-Gr 1—Readers are invited to take care of pretend pets in these two interactive imports from Italy. Similar in format, both of these digitally illustrated, small-size volumes contain solid-colored renditions of the featured animal, outlined in thick black lines and set against clean white backdrops. In Cat, youngsters make the orange kitty purr "with a tickle under the chin," squish fleas with their fingertips, dry the cat off after a rainstorm, and make him spit out a captured bird by squeezing his cheeks. Dog asks readers to provide belly rubs, try a few basic commands, toss a little red ball, and tidy up the ochre pooch after a muddy misadventure. Imperative sentences are highlighted in a brighter color, and the results of each suggested action are reflected in text and image on the following spread, making readers feel that they are part of the story. The straightforward plotlines and simply rendered illustrations just might encourage kids to imagine, verbalize, and draw additional scenarios for these charismatic critters.