Cat's Vacation

ANNOTATION

At your cat's invitation, Mr. and Mrs. Crocodile, the Penguin family, some Bengal tigers, and Mr. Moose sleep late, swim, and do all of the usual vacation things at your house while you are away.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Have you ever wondered what your cat does while you're away on vacation? Humorous text and Irene Schoch's vibrant collages will reveal everything you always wanted to know about your cat's own vacation.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

When the family's away, the cat will play, says this engaging expose. The jet-black cat curls up on a red couch after his family goes on a trip: "When the nice lady from next door comes over to water the plants and bring in the mail, she usually finds him taking a nap, just like any other cat. But as soon as she leaves," exotic animals visit from various corners of the globe. Two crocodiles come from the Nile River, three tigers travel from India and "the Penguin family arrives from the South Pole. Your cat shows them into your bedroom." The cat is "a very talented baker," and Moose (a laid-back guy who sleeps on the sofa) makes lemonade for their extravagant patio parties. "Too bad you're not home to enjoy the fun!" teases Swiss author/artist Schoch, who makes her U.S. debut. She creates paint-and-wallpaper collages that recall Matisse's canvases of southern France. The cozy house interior is a feast of patterned curtains, tablecloths, bedspreads, Persian carpets and big leafy houseplants, in hues of brick red, cool turquoise, yellow and chocolate; the mellow, green-eyed host bears a resemblance to Woodleigh Hubbard's suave Hip Cat. Schoch keenly imagines a housecat's secret life in this witty interlude, a sly way to soothe worries about independent, stay-at-home pets. Ages 3-6. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Cats always look as if the know a secret. Here a sly puss is just napping whenever a neighbor comes to check during the family's vacation. But in reality, he is having "a vacation all his own." He welcomes an assortment of animal guests, shows them to the appropriate bedrooms, even cooks for them. Everyone relaxes in the backyard sunshine. Even the tigers, tired from their long journey, are friendly after a nap. Everyone is having a grand time. Of course they all hide when the neighbor arrives. There is a spectacular party on the last night. Luckily Moose stays late to help the cat clean up, so there's no clue left of the fun, only next year's vacation to look forward to enjoying. Many sly jokes enliven the description of the "vacation." The complex double-page scenes of potted plants, throw rugs, wallpapers, and assorted foods are composed with a wide variety of boldly colored, patterned and painted cut paper shapes, as are the human-acting animals. The surreal fun begins on the jacket with many of the guests peeking out at the black cat host standing majestically on his balcony as the neighbor waters the plants on the back. 2004 (orig. 2003), Chronicle Books, Ages 4 to 8.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Guitar-playing tigers and ice-cream-cone eating penguins, among others, come for a visit when a family goes on vacation and leaves the cat alone in the house. Surprisingly, the neighbor who drops in to feed the feline is oblivious to the hidden menagerie, but anyone checking out the illustrations would definitely notice two penguins in a vase, a tiger tail stuck in the door, and a moose hidden behind the couch. From board games before bedtime to sunbathing in the backyard, this group knows how to relax. Before the return of his family, the cat has a big party for his guests, who all leave the next day except for Moose, who assists the cat with the cleanup. Ironically, the family feels sorry for the cat-who must have been lonely. This bizarre, slight story seems forced in its playfulness and more unbelievable than imaginative. The colorful, stylized art is more successful than the writing in capturing some of the story's silliness.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews