Splat the Cat (by Rob Scotton)

Because Splat is nervous about his first day of school, he decides to bring along Seymour, his pet mouse. Seymour's untimely escape causes havoc in Cat School, and everyone learns an important lesson in the end. Most of all Splat learns that he has friends, he is amazing, and going to school is fun as well as exciting.

Most kids will relate to Splat the Cat, who wakes up on the morning of his first day in Cat School, wishing he could find some way out of going. He is nervous and tries every trick in the book to delay the day. When he packs his pet mouse in his lunch box, hoping to have a friend to keep him company, the story gets a bit strange. And what happens later in the classroom spins even further into the implausible. However, for the most part, the lessons he and his classmates learn are good ones. He loses his jitters, and, as he lies in bed that night, his once-worried tail wiggles with excitement as he thinks about the coming day.

Though sweet, cute, and a little silly, Splat's story pales in comparison to the wonderfully bold illustrations that make this book stand out. It's obvious that SPLAT THE CAT was created art first, story second. The black, white, gray illustrations accented with red are energetic and expressive. And, Splat himself is quite a lovable character. In fact, illustrator Rob Scotton created the award-winning cat in 2004, and, in England, he decorates calendars, tableware, cards, and diaries. Perhaps his next adventures will have a fuller dimension.

Author: Rob Scotton
Illustrator: Rob Scotton
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication date: July 1, 2008
Number of pages: 409
Hardcover price: $16.99
Read Aloud: 3
Read Alone: 7