Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming tale of a pet cat's life in a young girl's home.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
YOUNG CAT, OLD CAT begins with "baby cat," which becomes "hopeful cat" when a little girl and her mother come to select a cat for adoption. "Be my cat?" the girl asks the little kitten. It's "scaredy-cat" in the carrier as they drive it home, and "finally free cat!" when they arrive and the kitten leaps out. Once in the family, it's "playful cat," "growing cat," "nice cat," and "naughty cat" when it climbs into the Christmas tree. "Dreaming cat" imagines itself a flying bird, a roaring lion, a giant fish swimming, and a ballet performer in a tutu, dancing with a mouse. Finally "old cat" becomes "ancient cat" and starts to "wobble" and "snooze" as "oh-so-tired cat." The girl says, "Goodbye, cat," and looks skyward to see her cat sparkling as if made of stars. Then on the final page, a cute little kitten mews: It's "brand-new cat!"
Is It Any Good?
This gentle, charming tale celebrates the warm relationship of a girl and her adopted cat. Young Cat, Old Cat shows all the fun they have and how they grow older together. The girl's compassionate caring for "ancient cat" is especially tender. Author illustrator Jillian Tamaki's stunning, soft illustrations mix acrylic ink, fabric, and embroidery to create the many moods of the cat and its owner. And even after depicting loss, the story ends on a joyous note with a new kitten to adopt.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different stages of a pet cat shown in Young Cat, Old Cat. How does a kitten move differently from an older cat? Have you watched a pet, or even a person you love, grow older and change?
When the cat gets old, the girl shows compassion by lifting and carrying the cat. Why is compassion an important character strength?
Which picture in the book is your favorite? Why? Do you think it was hard for the artist to capture the cat's movements? Try drawing a picture of an animal in action.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jillian Tamaki
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Animals ( Cats )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Gratitude
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Viking Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : September 22, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : November 10, 2026
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