Review - A Cat Named Swan

A Cat Named Swan
by Holly Hobbie
Date: 2017
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Discover this beautiful pet-adoption story from Holly Hobbie, the creator of the bestselling Toot & Puddle series and one of the most treasured children's illustrators of all time.

Beloved author-illustrator Holly Hobbie presents the story of a rescue cat's adoption, the paradise he finds, and the transformative joy he brings to his new family. Holly Hobbie's intricate watercolors evoke the small kitten's hardscrabble life as powerfully as they do his blissful one. This story tugs the heartstrings and is a testament to the importance of pet adoption and the powerful ways that pets connect with their people.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I think I might've liked this one more if I were a cat person.

The story is just... meh. It's bland, and it's kind of annoying (especially with the way the people talk). The highlight is definitely the pictures, although at times I felt like I was looking at the artist's sketchbook and wondering if this picture book was just an excuse for her to draw lots of cats. Some of the illustrations are really lovely. But I think I could've done without the ones of Swan licking his crotch.

This is basically just a story about an abandoned kitten who eventually gets adopted by a family and lives a cat's life. The names of the family members make the book seem dated, even though it was only published a few years ago.

A Cat Named Swan will probably appeal to cat lovers, but it doesn't have enough charm or a strong enough narrative to have a wider appeal.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5