Cat School Odd Cat Out

Books for Keeps readers will know Rose Robbins for her picture books, including Loud! and Me and My Sister, humorous, engaging stories which also explore neurodiversity. Her first graphic novel is another funny story with a gentle emphasis on young children’s emotions and on understanding others. Tangle and Eno previously attended Kitten School but these young cats are now ready to move up to Cat School. They know each other well enough to admit how nervous and apprehensive they are about that, something young readers starting a new school will all understand. Cat School is certainly a welcoming place, their classroom kitted out with scratch boards, wall seating and scent vents. Their classmates are friendly too, there’s Syd who likes to chase things, Cookie who likes to jump really high, and Colette who likes to sunbathe. There’s also Pelly, who admits to liking pinecones. The other cats think that’s a bit odd, but Tangle likes those who are a bit different and hopes they can be friends. Pelly finds school difficult for all sorts of reason and if Tangle and Eno are going to be her friends, they’ll have to learn to understand them and make allowances. All ends well, with the three kittens looking forward to the next term and everything they’ll get up to together. The lively illustrations and the graphic novel format make this very accessible – cat lovers in particular will be delighted with the quirky setting – and in a gentle, understated way the story prompts inclusivity and empathy.