57. The Biggest Cat in the Book

57. The Biggest Cat in the Book. Ben Lerwill. Illustrated by Mark Chambers. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book]

First sentence: Pippa is a kitten. She is exploring a slipper. She is NOT the biggest cat in the book.

Premise/plot: The search is on for the cat who IS the biggest in the book.

My thoughts: I like the premise of this one fine. I think it drags on a bit too long. I think this would make a great sixteen page board book. Cut the number of cats in half that aren't the "biggest" in the book, and I think it would read better after all. That being said, the cats--except perhaps for Chicken--are all ADORABLE and fun. But I think the biggest problem with this book about the biggest is that it's anti-climatic. When you finally get there, it has fizzled out completely.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

54. Cat's New Book

54. Cat's New Book. Nathalie Belhassen. 2026. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture books, cats, friends]

First sentence: This book is new. I just got it, but it's already my favorite! I love hugging its clean cover and stroking its smooth pages. It smells so good. I can read it whenever I want, because it's all mine. But I turn the pages gently so the book will stay new forever.

Premise/plot: CAT has a new book. It's a FAVORITE new book. It's a most treasured and beloved new book. But Cat lends her new book out and makes friends and more friends and even more friends. They all agree that Cat's book is FAVORITE. The book may not stay new and clean, but friendships are forever.

My thoughts: I love, love, love CAT'S NEW BOOK. It's a great book celebrating friendship AND reading. I love the text and the illustrations.


© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

36. The Rare Bird

36. The Rare Bird. Elisha Cooper. 2026. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, cats, imagination, picture books]

First sentence: The Rare Bird flew through the forest, flying so fast he knocked the leaves off the trees.

Premise/plot: The Rare Bird is a quirky little picture book starring a cat with a vivid imagination.

My thoughts: This cat has SOME imagination. The whole book--except the last few pages--is written as if the book was about, you know, an actual actual bird. But it this CAT living his normal cat life but imagining a whole other world, whole other life. He never leaves the house but he's flying across the world and seeing it all.

I liked this one. It was quirky and whimsical.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

109. (Board Book) There There Little Kitten

109. Board book: There There Little Kitten. Anna Milbourne. 2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars]

First sentence: Little kitten is feeling lonely. Maybe we can be friends.
There, there, little kitten.
Let's tickle under your chin.
Oh dear, it's starting to rain!
A big rain drop has sploshed
onto little kitten's nose.
There, there, little kitten.
Let's stroke your nose better.

Premise/plot: There There Little Kitten is a touch and feel interactive board book for young readers. Each spread includes a touch and feel element for young children. The book stars a little kitten who needs lots of affection.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I love cats. I tend to enjoy many touch and feel board books. Not all of them all of the time. But this one was good. If your little one loves cats or pets in general, then this one would be a fine choice.


© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

100. The Crayon Stub

100. The Crayon Stub. Marcus Cutler. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, cats, art, creativity, picture book]

First sentence: Alright, I have my fresh new piece of paper and my box of big, beautiful crayons. Time to draw something TOTALLY SPECTACULAR and become WORLD FAMOUS! No big deal.

Premise/plot: Big Cat's big plans don't go as planned--not at all. It starts with Big Cat discovering that he only has one crayon in his crayon box, and that one crayon is a stub--a red stub. Can Big Cat draw a spectacular picture with just a tiny stub of a crayon?! Can Big Cat draw ANY picture with just a stub? Will he get the opportunity? Or will his sibling interfere?!

My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. It was cute enough, silly enough. I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped all things considered. Probably because I'm an overthinker. I didn't really like the humorous direction this one took of the sibling EATING both the paper and the crayon and magically--literally--spitting out a drawing. I thought that was a little too over the top for me. But I think others may enjoy this one.

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

88. Kitty vs. Kindergarten

88. Kitty vs. Kindergarten. Martha Freeman. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, pets, school]

First sentence: Kitty was a good, nice kitty who lived with a good, nice family.

Premise/plot: Kitty does not particularly want to go to school with her human child to kindergarten. Kitty is quite content to stay at home and 'be regular' doing all the regular kitty things. However, Kitty is catnapped and taken for show and tell. Will Kitty survive her day at kindergarten? Will Kitty learn anything at school?

My thoughts: It was okay. I wanted to like it more than I did...because KITTY. The story is fine enough. Kitty gets out of his comfort zone. Kitty ends up teaching the kindergarten class a few things. It is enjoyable enough to share with little ones starting school who also happen to love KITTIES.



© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

80-81. Two Animal Board books

 80. Board book: Cute Cats: A Lift the Flap Book. Christie Williams. 2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, cats, pets]

First sentence: Rupert likes a long nap. His favourite spot? A nice warm lap! Leo leaps to catch a fish. Will it make it to his dish? 

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get! Cute cats, cute cats, and more cute cats. Little ones will meet Rupert, Leo, Snowflake, Milo, Coco and Luna. Parents can read the last page of the book to get question ideas to ask while little ones while they read. Questions like, "What's the funniest thing you've seen a cat do?"

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. It was cute. It was sweet. It was simple. Rhyming text. Flaps to lift. It was a solidly good read IF you are looking for a cat-themed board book to share with toddlers. Don't expect a story, a plot. But what you do have are cute cats being cute.

81. Board book: Cute Dogs: A Lift the Flap Book. Christie Williams. 2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, dogs, pets]

First sentence:  Pug likes chewing on a shoe. Let's see what her friend Tom can do. 

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get! This one is similar to Cute Cats, except obviously DOGS. Simple rhyming text. Flaps to lift. Cute dogs being cute. This one is slightly different in that it highlights the dog TOM in most of the text. The dogs your little one will be meeting: Tom, Max, Tilly, Charlie, Pug, and Milo.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. Again, IF you have a little one that loves pets--cats, dogs, then this one is a delightfully cute read. Short. Simple. Cute. I do like the question section at the end. I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary, however, it is nice. It might prove a useful reminder to parents that yes they can ask questions while reading to keep the experience interactive and engaging.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

66. Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes

 

66. Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2011. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio AND library] [4 stars]

First sentence: Here comes Pete strolling down the street, rocking red shoes on his four furry feet. Pete is going to school, and he sings this song: I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat is going to school and having a great time!

My thoughts: I really liked this one. I loved seeing Pete go to school. I loved seeing him read in his school shoes (the library), eating in his school shoes (the cafeteria), playing in his school shoes (the playground), etc. (There is also singing, painting, adding, and writing). I loved the descriptions of the school environment, the participatory way in which it's written so it gets everyone involved, and most of all the repetition. DOES PETE WORRY? Goodness no!!!

I first met Pete the Cat circa 2013 when I checked out all the Pete the Cat books from the library. Each of the original books has an audio version online, and these audio versions have been uploaded to YouTube many times. Since I am not using the library these days, I revisited one of my favorite, favorite, favorite books by listening to it. 

You can search YouTube or check out the audio versions on the official page. 

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

52. Mog and Me (Board book)

 

52. Board book: Mog and Me. Judith Kerr. 1984/2025. 16 pages. [Source: Library] [board book, 3 stars]

First sentence: We have a big stretch in the morning. We have a little wash. I have to get dressed, but Mog wears her fur all the time.

Premise/plot: Mog and Me was originally published in 1984. It has newly been re-released in 2025. A young child spends the day with MOG THE CAT. Apparently Mog the Cat starred in a handful of books. The book features few words but plenty of cat-focused illustrations. The plot is kept to a minimal, but CAT. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love cats. This book would be good for cat-loving parents to share with very young children. Each spread just has a few words. The story is super simple. Mog is an adorable cat. 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

47. Cats in Construction Hats

 

47. Cats in Construction Hats. Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, construction, cats, picture book, rhyming books]

First sentence: Yellow cat. Greet hat. Dig this. Clear that. Green cat. Orange hat. Mix this. Pour that. Orange cat. Blue hat. Load this. Move that. Blue cat. Red hat. Lift this. Lower that. Red cat. Purple hat. Place this. Weld that.

Premise/plot: There are MANY cats--hat-wearing-cats--starring in this construction-themed picture book for young readers. But will the construction project go as planned? Or will things go terribly wrong? Can these cats work together as a team to fix the problem? 

My thoughts: I liked this one. There were things I noticed the second time through reading it that I had missed the first time. I'm not sure exactly why there are rats on the scene and how they come into the story. I'm trying not to overthink this one. But you might try looking for rats on each spread to see if there are secondary stories going on that aren't part of the text narrative.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

26. I Have Three Cats...

 

26. I Have Three Cats. Michelle Sumovich. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, cats, pets, 3 stars]

First sentence: I have three cats--
Big, Little, and
Middle--in charge
of my backyard.
But that surprise over there?
She's not mine.
Not at all.

Premise/plot: I Have Three Cats is a story of a girl slowly but surely accepting a fourth cat--a rescue cat--into her family. The 'strange' cat, the 'surprise' cat does not make the best first impression. In fact, the little girl seems angry and out of sorts.

My thoughts: I liked this one okay. It wasn't my favorite or best even though it features FOUR cats. I didn't find it "a surprising, humorous" story. I found the girl a bit mean. IT is a thawing-of-the-heart story.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

25. Squash the Cat: Stuck in the Middle

 

25. Squash the Cat: Stuck in the Middle. Sasha Mayer. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, cats, jealousy, toys, picture book]

First sentence: This is Squash. Squash is a sleeping in-the-sunshine, celebrating-from-the-sidelines, and then a nap-in-the-lap kind of cat. 

Premise/plot: Squash loves Maggie--his human. Maggie loves Squash too. They are the best, best, best of friends....until.....PIRATE LOU appears on the scene. This is a PIRATE stuffed animal. Now Squash is having HIS space invaded. Can Squash make peace with this new.....thing.....on Maggie's lap, Maggie's bed, etc.

My thoughts: If Squash wasn't so absolutely DELIGHTFULLY adorably illustrated would I rate this one so high?????? The world will never know because Squash IS so adorable and irresistible. The story is simple enough--jealousy. But it's also told in a fun and cute way.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

24. Hi, Cat. Bye, Cat.

 

[Board Book] 24. Hi, Cat. Bye, Cat. Jade Orlando. 2025. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [board books, cats]

First sentence: Hi, cat. Bye, cat. LOUD cat. Shy cat. One cat. Four cats. Even more cats!

Premise/plot: Hi, Cat. Bye, Cat is a BOARD book for cat-loving babies. Well, for the youngest of 'readers' whose caregivers love cats. It is written in rhyme. The illustrations are super-bold and colorful. There isn't much text per page--which makes it a great fit for the youngest readers. It's a silly book with plenty of illustrated cats. It also features opposites.

My thoughts: I love, love, love cats. I do. This one was fun and joyful. I enjoyed it.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

138. Detective Beans: The Case of the Missing Hat

Detective Bean and the Case of the Missing Hat. Li Chen. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [graphic novel; j mystery; j fiction; j friendship]

First sentence:  It's Over! I know it was you! 

Premise/plot: Beans is a detective-loving kitten with detective dreams of his own. His first "big" case involves his own missing hat! He left it on the bedside table--next to the open window--and in the morning it is GONE. Can he follow ALL the clues--no matter how many twists and turns--to find the whereabouts of his hat??? 

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved BEANS. The world of this one is peopled by CATS, and I'm here for it. I love and adore the illustrations AND the story. I love Beans, his mother, and his best friend, Biscuit. I love the main mystery and the back-burner mystery as well. This is a great graphic novel for young readers...and older readers who love all things CAT.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

118. Be More Cat

118. [Board book] Be More Cat. Seb Davey. 2024. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars] 

First sentence: Be more cat and play outside. Feel the sunshine on your face! Be more cat and watch the world go by. Stop and go with the slow! Be more cat and stretch. Stretch your body and your smile!

Premise/plot: Would you be happier by being more cat? Maybe. Maybe not. This board book for the youngest cat lovers encourages little ones to be more cat. (Warning there are TOE beans). Some spreads are more actual cat-like than others. Some cats are just stand-ins for humans, obviously. The book is fairly generic in its pawsitive advice.

My thoughts: The illustrations are adorable. I love, love, love, love, love cats. That being said, the text is fairly cheesy. (Perhaps just as a cat would have it.) If I didn't love cats so much, this one might be too cheeseful to recommend. It is generic advice for good vibes.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

115. Catside Up, Catside Down

Catside Up, Catside Down. Anna Hrachovec. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, concept book] [5 stars]

First sentence: Catside up,
catside down,
cat on a turntable, spinning around.
Under a piano,
over the moon,
swept high and away
by a cat-shaped balloon.
Inside a sock,
surrounding a pie,
lolling about on some catnip nearby.

Premise/plot: Catside Up, Catside down is a book of prepositions. It is a concept book--technically, definitely. I mean there is a grammar lesson there for elementary-aged students. (Or for readers of all ages who need a bit of a refresher course). But it is also a super-adorable cat-themed, arts-and-craft themed picture book for readers of all ages to enjoy. The illustrations--are PRECIOUS, ADORABLE, SWEET, AMAZING.

My thoughts: I loved this one so much. I love, love, love, love, love all the crafted items. The cover is adorable--no doubt, no question--but each page only gets better and better. I love the art. I love the narration. I love the concept-lesson. I love the rhyming.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

83-84. Pet Books

83. How to Love a Kitten. Michelle Meadows. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On the farm, we run and play. I kick the ball. It rolls away. Under the porch, I bend down low. No ball in sight. Where did it go? A broken toy. A silver pail. Then something moves. Is that a tail? I call out, "Hey--Look what I found! Four kittens and a cat curled around."

Premise/plot: A young girl [and her family] finds a mama cat with new kittens. The family "rescue" her and help care for the mama cat and all the kittens. They are hopeful that they will find the owner of the mama cat since she has a collar and is super-friendly (as opposed to feral). Will all the cats find homes? 

My thoughts: This is an enjoyable beginning reader. This is an "I Can Read It All By Myself" beginning book. It stars plenty of ADORABLE, SWEET, LOVABLE kitties. This would be a good fit for anyone who enjoys cat or kitten stories. 

84. Dalmartian: A Mars Rover's Story by Lucy Ruth Cummins. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The visitor's came to Stephen's yard one otherwise ordinary summer night. Quietly and carefully, they went about their work, collecting, bagging, and tagging specimens. Then very suddenly, they had company. The visitors raced to reboard their ship. One of the visitors wasn't quite quick enough. So one was left behind.

Premise/plot: What happens when an alien dog--a Dalmartian--is left behind on earth? Dalmartian chronicles his adventures as he adapts to life on a strange planet and becomes bonded with a human boy. 

My thoughts: I never thought this was a story I "needed," however I thoroughly enjoyed it! I enjoyed the narration. I really loved the illustrations. It is an unusual, strange but lovely twist on the familiar boy gets a dog story. I absolutely loved some of the spreads such as when the Dalmartian discovers bacon for the first time!!! 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

43. The Great Puptective

The Great Puptective. Alina Tysoe. 2024. 128 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: One day, Sasha the human came home with a strange box. I think it's about time that Truffles got a friend.

Premise/plot: Early chapter book in "graphic novel" format. (In other words, an illustrated chapter book with plenty of speech bubbles showing the dialogue). Truffles is not thrilled that his new "friend" is an enthusiastic puppy named Poppy. Poppy considers herself an amateur detective always on the case. Cases seem to find her most of the time, even if they aren't really proper cases. Truffles may just have enough of Poppy one of these days....

My thoughts: I really LOVED the characters Poppy and Truffles. The book is silly, cute, fun. I loved how the story unfolded throughout the book. Definitely reminded me of old school Garfield and Friends episodes in the best way possible. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

35. Hot Cat, Cool Cat

Hot Cat, Cool Cat. Laura Manaresi. Illustrated by Roberta Angaramo. 2023. [November] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Kit and Kip are friends. But....Kip likes to run. Kit likes to sit. Kip likes cake. Kit likes fish. Kip likes to hug. Hugs scare Kit. Kip likes mice. Kit likes horses.

Premise/plot: Kit and Kip are friends with a lot of differences. This book celebrates their friendship. It is a LEVEL G reader. 

My thoughts: I definitely liked this one. Is it the absolutely most amazing picture book starring cats? Probably not. Is it quite good for a leveled [beginner/early] reader? Yes. It does have a plot. It doesn't jump into the plot, perhaps. But it does have quite an adventure...eventually. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

24. Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape

Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape. Mirka Hokkanen. 2023. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Cat! Time for a bath! Cat? Where's Cat?

Premise/plot: Kitty and Cat are back for another adventure. In this one the concept being taught is shapes. Cat is avoiding the dread B-A-T-H. But will Cat be successful? Will the others be successful when it is their turn for a bath? 

My thoughts: I liked it well enough. Kitty and Cat are both cute. The story may not be "fresh" or "new" but it is still fun enough. 

If your little one loves cats, then I'd recommend reading this one. (Especially if you can get it at your local library). The great thing about picture books is that you can preview before you buy (if you buy in person) or look at the sample pages if you are buying online.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers