There are cats in this book

‘There are cats in this book’ announces the artist/narrator in the title and that’s where the story starts, immediately engaging readers or listeners, who instantly become co-creators, in control of taking the narrative forwards (or backwards in some instances) and determining the pace thereof. The cats then have their say, introducing themselves and taking over the authorial voice as they involve the reader in their antics with balls of wool, cardboard boxes of different shapes and sizes, a pillow fight, a near tidal wave in the fish tank, blow drying their fur and tucking themselves into the cosy blanket, before their final invitation to ‘come and play with us really soon!’. Who could resist that invitation?

Schwarz’s confidently casual line and splodges of colour effortlessly capture the three cats and reveal their characters while the organically integrated paper engineering involves the reader in the narrative as flaps are turned and boxes opened.

This is, I think, my favourite picture book of 2008; it makes me immediately want to find small children (as well as adults who hopefully will be the co-orchestrators of endless hours of fun and frolics), sit them down and start reading.