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Summary
Summary
For fans of Mo Willem's Elephant and Piggie and Pigeon series, this clever and hilarious story stars Cat, who starts out perfectly content and relaxed, and Duck, who infuriates him by meowing like a cat instead of quacking like Cat thinks he should.
Written completely in dialogue, this minimalist text is fun to read aloud and easy enough for newly independent readers to enjoy on their own. Humorous and deceptively simple artwork highlights the characters' personalities, showing Duck's quirkiness and good humor and Cat's rising frustration as Duck impersonates a variety of animals, refusing to concede that he is, indeed, a duck. Duck's silliness will appeal to children who enjoy pretend play, and older siblings will relate to Cat's annoyance as Duck refuses to leave his side. Ideal for multiple readings, here is a concise, funny story by award-winning author Sharon G. Flake with playful details in the artwork and humor that never fades.
Author Notes
Sharon G. Flake won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for her first novel, The Skin I'm In , and is a two-time Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner. Her books have sold a combined total of more than half a million copies. You Are Not a Cat! is her first picture book. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Visit sharongflake.com.
Anna Raff has illustrated several books for children, including World Rat Day by Children's Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis. Her illustrations have also appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times and the Washington Post . Before her career as an illustrator, Anna was a designer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and several children's book publishers. She lives in New York City. Visit annaraff.com.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-When Duck insists he is a cat and meows to prove his claim, Cat corrects his obvious error by asserting that ducks always say "quack, quack." But silly Duck would much rather stick to "meow," and Cat fails to convince him otherwise, no matter how hard he tries. When Duck changes his chosen identity at a moment's notice and becomes a parrot, even admitting that he was a squirrel yesterday and a rooster last week ("Cock-a-doodle-do!"), poor Cat is at his wit's end and ultimately gives in. Flake, best known for her middle school novels, presents a hilarious picture book that will surely beg multiple readings, with the absurd premise that nothing should be assumed, no matter how obvious. Cat is the straight man to screwball Duck, and this makes the two an appealing pair sure to be adored by young readers. Raff's soft pastel illustrations are a perfect match for the quick-witted, comic book-style text. Children will enjoy observing Cat's mood as it shifts from smug self-righteousness to angry frustration to confused acceptance by the end of the story. Fans of Mo Willems's popular "Elephant and Piggie" and "Pigeon" series will embrace this silly animal tale wholeheartedly. VERDICT A delightful picture book, ideal for storytime and for supporting teaching units on animal sounds.-Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
I am a cat. Meow," says a duck. But a cat isn't having it: "You are a duck. Quack, quack." This not-quite-battle of wills--the duck seems too dim to have one--is rousing, although the ending doesn't provide the impact the story deserves. Colorful mixed-media art shows the expressive pair humorously debating an underlying serious subject: the right to define oneself. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
A silly duck drives an increasingly indignant cat wild by insisting it's a cat. The cat tries to logically prove the duck wrong: Do you have a long, straight tail? . . . Whiskers that tickle the air? The duck admits it lacks those things, but that doesn't mean it can't be a cat! After all, yesterday it was a squirrel, last week a rooster, and tomorrow perhaps a cow. YA author Flake shows her goofier side in this giggle-inducing picture book, which works not only for a preschool crowd but also for an emerging reader. The all-dialogue text is printed in a simple, legible font inside large speech bubbles. Soft colors and lightly textured backgrounds create plenty of white space for the eye to focus. The who's on first? humor, utilizing a large number of sight words, is heightened by hilarious facial expressions in the cartoonish illustrations, created using sumi ink washes and pen-and-pencil drawings and assembled and colored digitally. Whether enjoyed independently or at storytime, readers will laugh their way through this entertaining book.--Seto Forrester, Amy Copyright 2016 Booklist
