Whether slinky and serious or delightfully daft, cats tend to make great picture book stars. They may often excel as witches’ sidekicks, but sometimes simple is best, as with Eva Eland’s Where Is the Cat? (Andersen Press), in which little Suzy goes to visit her Auntie and wants to play with the very reluctant Cat.
An eye-popping palette of neon-pink, green and yellow matches the high energy of Suzy, who greets Auntie on her doorstep, arms flung open, hollering “Where is the cat?”. So begins a familiar yet funny game of hide and seek between the pair – with little readers able to join in too – as Cat tries everything to avoid her: squishing himself pancake-like under chairs, teetering on top of wardrobes and peeking through plants, each page a spotting opportunity. By nap time Suzy is in tears and a sorry-looking Cat gazes on from a shelf looking poised to curl up with her for a doze. But will Suzy get her way?
