No Cats in the Library -- Picture Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What do you get when a stray cat who loves books discovers a library? A fun new picture book!! Today we are sharing with you a new book (released today) based on this story. The book is No Cats in the Library written and illustrated by Lauren Emmons. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

From the Publisher:

A stray cat follows her love of books all the way to a new library home in this charming debut picture book that’s “catnip for librarians and young book lovers alike” (School Library Journal, starred review).

Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!

There’s just one problem: NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?

From Me: 

This book is just so sweet. Clarisse is a stray cat who loves looking at the pictures of books. She discovers a magical building where people go in with nothing and come out with books. She tries to walk in but gets kicked out. She tries another way and again the book keeper sends her out. She finally finds a way in and then wanders the library looking for books with pictures. When she enters the children's room there is a young girl who is struggling with reading but decides to read to the kitty. This is all Clarisse needs to be welcome to the library. They start a read to the cat time everyday. 

I love the story. A stray cat who loves books and becomes the Read-Aloud Cat for the library. Animals are being used to help children develop their reading skills and reading aloud. This book captures this in the point of view of the cat. The book itself is a multicultural book with various races throughout it. The pages are colorful and fun. It is also fun for the reader to discover the library through the eyes of Clarisse. I can honestly see kids loving this story and wanting to read it again and again. It is also a wonderful introduction to the library for younger kids. I hope you will check it out. To go with the book, I would suggest a cat craft. I did a large round-up of cat crafts a couple of years ago.