P Crumble (text), Lucinda Gifford (Illustrator), The Cat Wants Kittens, Scholastic Australia, August 2018, 32 pp., $17.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781742769097
This new book from the combination of author P. Crumble and illustrator Lucinda Gifford continues on from the two previous The Cat Wants… books. Having previously come up against custard and cuddles, our old friend, Kevin the cat, faces a new challenge many adults can relate to: unwanted company.
After causing mischief rooted in boredom, Kevin’s owner, again, misjudges what it is Kevin wants and gifts him new friends in the form of two kittens. Knowing Kevin’s surly personality we can correctly predict how this will turn out. The kittens eat his food, play with his toys and takeover his bed. Kevin’s life is disturbed and he is inclined to wallow in sulky isolation as the solution to his problem.
The images in the book follow right on from previous works by these creators. They are bold, entertaining and fun; I particularly like the picture of Kevin having high tea with the queen. They are very appropriate for the age group, which is the 3-6 yr olds.
The Cat Wants Kittens would be a fun addition to a family library, particularly if that family includes a mischievous, lazy, stubborn, self-important, self-centred feline.
Reviewed by Cherie Bell
