Big Cat, Little Cat

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 10, 2017

Review

One cat lived alone. Then the family brought another cat home. The big cat showed the little cat all it needed to know, where to eat, where the litter box was, etc. They became the best of friends and spent all their time together. Time went by - days, months, years. Little cat grew and grew until he become bigger than Big Cat. They had a good life together- eating, playing, exploring, hunting and the daily crazies. At the end of every day they would cuddle and dream together. They were together all the time. So many years went by that Big Cat got so old that he had to go and didn't come back. Death is never mentioned. But it is gently implied. This is a difficult time for the whole family, human and cat alike. Everyone is sad for the loss of Big Cat. Until one day the family gets a new kitten. And now little cat becomes big cat and show the new kitten everything he needs to know, from where to eat to where the litter box is and more. Life indeed goes on. The illustrations are bold and simple, done in black and white with thick black outlines. The background is mostly white. It is a gray background once when big cat has left the family forever. There is a beige background three times for when the two cats are cuddled together. The illustrations simply and beautifully depict the story. The text is spare, often just 3-4 words per page. When big cat goes away, everyone is sad. This is not shown on their faces however. There is a two page spread. On one side is the human family shown in black silhouette with heads down and the little boys hand extended toward little cat. On the other side is little cat all alone looking back at his human family. It looks as if there is a single tear coming off the cat's face. Or it could be the tip of a whisker. I will leave that up to each reader to decide. This is a wonderful book on many levels. It is a moving cat story, a friendship story. It's a comforting story about friendship and loss. And it is good bibliotherapy for young children on the loss of a pet. And it reaffirms the circle of life. Pair with "Desser, the Best Cat Every" by Maggie Smith and "The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye" by Jane Yolen for a unit on grief and loss of a pet for pre-K through first grade. Or for a subdued cat themed story time. This is simply a lovely story about the joys of growing up and old together, whether you are feline or human. A first purchase for all libraries.

Overall Book Score: excellent