Cat Problems

by Jory John, Lane Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Jory John and Lane Smith give us an “indoor” addition to their menagerie of problematic animals. Following up two B&N favorites, Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, comes Cat Problems. How easy is it for an indulgent house cat to complain? Very easy! Each page is hilariously relatable and even if you aren’t a fan of the felines, John and Smith will have you laughing out loud and smiling anyway. A great gift for adults and a fancy feast for storytime!

"A pampered house cat complains about the daily struggles he faces"--

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593302132
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/03/2021
Series:	Animal Problems
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	62,165
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for both children and adults. He is the author of Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, both illustrated by Lane Smith; The Bad Seed and The Good Egg, both illustrated by Pete Oswald; and Quit Calling Me a Monster! and I Will Chomp You!, both illustrated by Bob Shea, among many other books. Jory is a two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient and has won numerous state book awards for his writing. Jory lives in Oregon. You can find him at joryjohn.com or on Twitter @IamJoryJohn.

LANE SMITH has written and illustrated a bunch of stuff, including Grandpa Green, which was a Caldecott Honor Book; It's a Book, which has been translated into over twenty-five languages; and The Stinky Cheese Man. Four of his books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year. In 2012, the Eric Carle Museum named him an Honor Artist for "lifelong innovation in the field of children's books." In 2014, he received the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award. Lane and book designer Molly Leach live in rural Connecticut. Visit him on the Web at lanesmithbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/17/2021

The star of the third entry in the collaborators’ Animal Problems series is a sarcastic, malcontent cat narrator who is unrepentant right out of the gate. “Great,” John’s protagonist begins after a sunbeam moves off its body: “Now I’m awake, and I only got nineteen hours of sleep.” As Smith, in muted colors, mottled textures, and strong vertical lines, presents an unadorned background fit for feline ennui, the cat offers a veritable catalog of disgruntled, imperious, and impulsive feelings, some leveled at a smaller, miserably bullied cat who shares the house (“You’re in my spot”), some at household items such as a vacuum cleaner (“You do not want to mess with these claws,” the kitty threatens, ineffectively taking refuge behind a lamp), and some at no one at all (“Maybe I’ll meow for a while”). It’s the opposite of good behavior but is so deliciously sour that when a self-righteous squirrel lectures the cat on the notion of gratitude, readers are tempted to side with the cat. Indeed, the animal’s spewing seems so authentically feline that readers can’t help but laugh—and perhaps even identify with an id unabashedly unleashed. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Prolific children's book author and illustrator Jory John and Lane Smith team up in this hilarious picture book that follows the day in the life of a bored house cat.... This picture book got lots of big laughs out of my cat-loving toddler." —Book Riot

"Great fun, even—or especially?—if you don't have a cat." —Booklist, starred review

"The star of the third entry in the collaborators' Animal Problems series is a sarcastic, malcontent cat narrator who is unrepentant right out of the gate. Readers can't help but laugh—and perhaps even identify with an id unabashedly unleashed. —Publisher's Weekly 

"Fun; kids should lap this up fur storytime." —Kirkus Reviews

"Is there any problem more important than a cat problem? Not to the cat in Jory John's puckish ode to a finicky, fickle, ever-dissatisfied feline. The visual jokes from Lane Smith begin on the cover (with lettering shredded a la cat) and continue throughout this day-in-the-life look at perching on furniture, tasty treats ... and longing to munch on a squirrel just outside the window ..." —The Virginian Pilot
 
"What's the problem for a cat who spends all day lounging? This one can name quite a few, in this funny follow-up to Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems. —TODAY

"Cat lovers will fully appreciate this hilarious tale from Jory John. With perfectly textured illustrations from Lane Smith, this fun book follows the completely difficult life of a house cat as he navigates his day." —Tiny Beans

From the Publisher

07/01/2021

PreS-Gr 2—A look at the ennui experienced by a sardonic housecat. First there were Penguin Problems, then Giraffe Problems, and now the domestic cat is getting its chance. This plot-free stream of kitty consciousness follows the trials and tribulations of a well-tended house cat as it tries to fill its day #catproblems. A sampling of the problems the cat encounters include a disappearing sunbeam, a nearly empty food bowl, the other cat innocently sleeping in all the "best" places ("I think that cat might be my greatest enemy in the entire house."), the monster/vacuum cleaner, boredom, lack of ability to let themselves out, and a sassy squirrel on the other side of the window. (Post-Covid -19 lockdown some of these problems may hit a little close to the home.) Each problem elicits a sardonic, first-person response often directed at readers. After being schooled by a squirrel as to how good they have it being cared for inside, the cat responds with, "How can I eat this very talkative squirrel?" Smith's texture-filled illustrations are as expected in the best possible way. His combination of panels, and single- and double-page spreads put the cat with all the expression-filled, big-eyed attitude front and center. Ranging in size, location, and font, the text works perfectly with the illustrations. VERDICT As story flows from one problem to the next, readers will want to let cat out for just a little bit—or maybe revisit the first two books for more problems.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Lib., Troy, NH

School Library Journal

2021-06-16
Life as a cat can give one paws.

The angst-y feline narrator has quite a tale to tell, grumbling sardonically about how impurr-fect life is as an indoor-only cat; screeching about various daily woes, like “only” getting “nineteen hours of sleep” and why another cat’s sitting where it wants to; and making constant demands (“What does it take to get a little bowl service around here?”) All in all, this furry complainer seems to have a lot to yammer about. “Things would be different if I knew how to open a door,” it grumps. The cat’s whiny, self-centered personality is wittily conveyed, but its wry monologue also elicits sympathy; cat guardians might not consider how frustrating it might be for a pet to be permanently housebound. When the cat bemoans its fate to a squirrel through the window screen, the street-smart rodent offers perspective. Readers who’ve been owned by kitties will laugh knowingly at the protagonist’s shifty mental processes and comical shenanigans. The frenetic illustrations, with a limited palette of mostly browns, tans, and grays, gibe well with the humorous text. Innovative book design enhances the visual appeal, with text placement and white space focusing attention. Numerous spreads are set in panels for quick pacing; many words/phrases are set in various fonts for dramatic effect. Note the frayed ends on some letters in the title on the dust jacket. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Fun; kids should lap this up fur storytime. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews