Being a Cat - review 4.11.23

From the creators of Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, readers get to enjoy a new story about another furry friend!

Being a Cat: A Tale of Curiosity

written by Maria Gianferrari

illustrated by Pete Oswald

published by HarperCollins

Maria Gianferrari takes a deep dive into the world of felines in this delightfully wordy book!  And when I say wordy, I don't mean long and lengthy.  I am referring to the wonderful word choice that bounces, leaps, and pounces throughout the book.  For example, one of the first ways these feline friends are described is as being "watching, wondering, wandering".  Don't you love that language?  The way Maria plays with words throughout the text and finds just the perfect ones in the right spot is a gift for readers.  Told in lyrical lines, the words put the story in motion and the illustrations by Pete Oswald helps them dance!

Being a Cat is a love letter to felines and captures the essence of... well, being a cat!  Following a cat and its human, the reader moves, plays, explores, and of course, naps, with the cat.  If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a cat, Maria gives us a perfect view with this book!  The readers gets to see many sides and traits of one feline friend as Maria captures being a cat.  From its playful side to its sleepy side.  From its preening to its loving.  From its mischievous side to its sweet side!

I love how Maria has chosen to include some additional information about cats in the backmatter.  Readers can learn more about cats and their unique abilities, from their whiskers to their claws!  Have you ever wondered what a cat is trying to say to you?  Maria also gives us some information about how cats communicate in the backmatter!  

No doubt cat enthusiasts will smile and notice familiar habits from their own feline companions in this delightful story!

Vocabulary activity:

Now that it's springtime and April (National Poetry Month!), go outside and observe!  Find an animal and observe what it does. 

• What do you notice about its habits?
• What words can you use to describe it?
• What ways does it move?
• What do you think your animal is thinking?

Write a poem about your animal using all of your observations!

More about Maria Gianferrari:  Maria Gianferrari is a picture book reader/writer, tea-drinker, dog-lover, and birdwatcher. Maria writes books that honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild, and that celebrate the wonders of the natural world around us. Curiously, though an unabashed dog lover, this is Maria’s third book featuring cats as main characters, most recently Bobcat Prowling, as well as Officer Katz and Houndini. She lives in Massachusetts with her inquisitive scientist husband. You can learn more about Maria at her website: www.mariagianferrari.com.

Would you like to own a copy of Being a Cat?  Thanks to the generosity of author Maria Gianferrari, I have one to offer for giveaway!  Enter by April 18th for your chance to win a copy (US addresses only).