About the Author

Sophie Blackall has illustrated more than thirty books, including theNew York TimesBest Illustrated Children's Books Big Red Lollipop and The Baby Tree, which she also wrote. Born in Australia, Sophie lives in Brooklyn with her children, Olive and Edward.Sophie Blackallhas illustrated more than thirty books, includingFinding Winnie, for which she won the Caldecott medal, andtheNew York TimesBest IllustratedbooksBig Red LollipopandThe Baby Tree, which she also wrote. Born in Australia, Sophie lives in Brooklyn with her children Olive and Edward.

Reviews

“Humorous, heartwarming.” —People Magazine

“A must-read for anyone that loves cats, books, and reading.” —Brightly

“[An] adorable and sweet picture book.” —Book Riot

“Sometimes things aren’t what they seem at first. . . . Understated text brings a dry sense of humor to the child’s plight. . . . An author’s note describes the true event on which this story is based and offers readers ideas on how they can go read to animals. A humorous tale in which everyone gets what they want—even a negative cat!” —Kirkus Reviews

“Max is, of course, adorable, and the discovery that reading to animals can benefit both the children who read and the animals who listen is the story’s hidden treasure.” —Publishers Weekly

“[Blackall’s] illustrations, ‘created digitally and superimposed on the reverse side of vintage wallpaper salvaged from a falling-down house,’ have a charmingly old-school feel, deepened by the dull-toned color palette and design choices. A touching story that adds depth to the usual sweet humor of cat books.” —Booklist

"A boy's new pet starts out as a problem and becomes the solution to another problem in Sophie Blackall's droll and commiserative picture book." —Shelf Awareness

"This entertaining tale is a tribute to animal rescue shelters—and to literacy. . . . The many eye-catching details in Blackall’s fine-lined illustrations invite close inspection. . . . Blackall expertly captures body language and extracts a lot of humor from the surly cat, especially when comparing him to the animated pet-owner: we see the child attempt to connect (“I tell him all my best jokes. He doesn’t even smile”); the cat is shown with his back to readers, staring at the wall or rudely putting his tail in a stick of butter. As a result, it’s immensely rewarding to see the connection that occurs when the boy starts to read (and to enjoy it!) and Max crawls closer to cuddle. A positive and satisfying tale." —Horn Book

"This readaloud is an excellent depiction of the drawbacks of cat ownership, from cleaning up unwanted messes to only receiving affection when it’s desired by the feline party, but its message that cats are still worth keeping around (and make particularly good reading buddies) is both sweet and helpful to would-be cat owners with certain expectations. The digital art has a vintage look." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books