I Am a Cat
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A simple housecat named Simon encounters some bigger cats: Lion, Puma, Panther, Tiger, and Cheetah. Each of the big cats has something to say about Simon not being “cat” enough. According to them, he just doesn’t measure up. He doesn’t have Lion’s mane or Cheetah’s spots. He doesn’t sleep in trees like Panther or climb mountains like Puma. He’s small and fuzzy, not big and strong. But ultimately, Simon shows the big cats that he’s just like them . . . only smaller.
A celebration of both individuality and community, I Am a Cat is a strong debut that shows we’re all more alike than we think . . . if we look closely enough.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A stout, green-eyed cat named Simon meets a gang of much larger cats: a lion, cheetah, puma, panther, and tiger. "I am a cat," announces Simon. "Just like you!" The big cats greet Simon's announcement with wide-eyed, stony silence. Then after a page turn they erupt in guffaws. The lion explains huffily that cats have manes and tails, the cheetah that cats run faster, and so on; each identifies its own features as the essence of catness. Simon's reply is sharp: "So how can you all be cats?" The lion begins listing features they have in common ("We have sharp teeth and claws") and the big cats' tails and claws form graceful arabesques. "So do I," Simon snaps. "I have all of those things." The big cats are forced to admit that Simon is right; he is a cat after all. Bernstein's debut is a fresh, powerful twist on the tension between in-groups and out-groups. The big cats threaten, but her hero shows no signs of compromise or apology. And her spare, clean artwork shares the same sense of certainty. Ages 3 7.
