Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat)

by Phaea Crede, Terry Runyan (Illustrator)

Overview

Jet is not like any other cat . . . but when other animals try to convince her that she's really a bird or a frog or a goat, she learns to embrace her unique identity. This hilarious story teaches us to celebrate our differences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646861668
Publisher:	Barefoot Books
Publication date:	05/01/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	721,262
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.75(h) x 0.33(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Phaea Crede writes silly stories for silly kids. Serious kids, too! Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat) is her debut picture book. Phaea lives outside Boston, USA, with her husband, two kiddos, and a slightly stinky dog named Gus. Visit her at phaeacrede.com.

Terry Runyan loves animals, particularly cats, and you’ll usually find furry, feathery and fishy friends in her work. She enjoys mixing it up and works in many mediums such as watercolor, cut paper and digital. Terry teaches art classes online and enjoys sharing her journey and insights on her highly popular social media platforms. She lives in Leawood, Kansas. You can find her at terryrunyan.com.

Editorial Reviews

2021-03-02
This kitty is unconventional…does that make her less of a kitty?

“Jet is a cat just like any other cat. / She loves to pounce. She loves to sprawl. / And, of course, she loves to swim.” Then Tom the Cat informs her that “real cats” don’t like swimming at all. He thinks she must be a frog. So…“Jet is a frog just like any other frog. / She loves to swim. She loves to eat bugs. / And, of course, she sings in a high voice.” Bull the Frog informs her that frogs have low voices, so Jet must be a bird….She can’t fly, though, so she must be a goat. She doesn’t have a beard, however, so could she be a pig? A platypus? A goblin shark? What is she? She goes home for a relaxing swim, which centers her enough that she can now say, “I am a cat UNLIKE any other cat. / But I am still a cat. And a great cat at that.” This declaration prompts all the other animals to shout out their own peculiarities—which Jet is quite happy to accept. Crede’s tale of individuality and acceptance of self gets its point across in an age-appropriate manner. Little individualists will identify with Jet and respond favorably to Runyan’s cartoon illustrations of wide-eyed animals with bendy limbs and googly eyes.

A brightly colored story of self-discovery by process of elimination. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews

Crede’s tale of individuality and acceptance of self gets its point across in an age-appropriate manner. Little individualists will identify with Jet and respond favorably to Runyan’s cartoon illustrations of wide-eyed animals with bendy limbs and googly eyes” – Kirkus Reviews

“The lively, amusing narrative carries its point lightly, showing how Jet’s frustration builds when she lets others define who she is and recedes when she takes charge of her identity. Speech balloons carrying the animals' comments add to the fun in the colorful, sometimes comical illustrations, which create a farm setting for the action. A pleasing picture book for reading aloud” – Booklist

”A cute and easy-to-follow story about the joy of being yourself . . . If readers are looking for stories in which a character proudly stands up for what’s unique about them, this could be the ticket” – Youth Services Book Review

From the Publisher