Review - Big Cat, Little Cat

Big Cat, Little Cat
by Elisha Cooper
Date: 2017
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

There was a cat
who lived alone.
Until the day
a new cat came...

And so a story of friendship begins, following two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn’t come back.

This is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about life and the act of moving on.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a simple but poignant story about the circle of life, told from the point of view of cats. I'm not sure what else to say about it. The illustrations are simple, but they get the point across. The rhythm and routine of a cat's life is brought to life through the basic text. And the feelings of loss are portrayed so well that even a dog person like myself felt sad for the cat when it was left on its own.

This will probably be appreciated more by cat lovers, so keep that in mind when you look at my rating. There's nothing really wrong with this book (other than perhaps implying that a new kitten will make everything better... which is a little simplistic). But the sentiment is sweet, and this book will likely find an audience with young and old cat lovers alike.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5