My Cat Maisie

The big boy next door has a big dog named Lobo, but Andrew has no one to play with. He welcomes a stray cat with altogether too much glee ("Let's play wild Indians and you can be the horse"); the cat bolts. A daunting attempt to play with the obstreperous Lobo gives Andrew a salutary taste of the cat's feelings; when she creeps back that night, he welcomes her gently and the two make friends. The message here is presented nicely in the events, which this prize-winning Australian conveys in a nicely compact text sparked with graphic words like "gallumphed" and in wonderfully expressive illustrations. Sturdy little Andrew is the image of his plump, comfortable mother, who has the same irrepressible gleam in her eye; his relentless activity is reiterated in each deftly observed posture. A perfect blend of text and pictures to make an entertaining story. (Kirkus Reviews)