Cat in the Night

PreS-Gr 2—Rusty the cat is just waking up as his person, a little girl named Gwen, is falling asleep. He slips out an open window. "There he smells night-blooming jasmine, an overflowing garbage can, and the scents of familiar neighborhood animals. But tonight, something is…different. It is the scent of an unknown cat." Rusty is on the case! During his search, he meets a skunk, raccoons, a mouse who turns into a midnight snack, and an opossum. Observant readers will delight in spotting the "intruder" in a number of scenes, which builds suspense and anticipation. Brunet's gorgeous, full-spread illustrations perfectly set the moonlit tone. The depictions of cats and other animals are realistic, with lots of details for readers to pore over and discover. The two felines finally meet, and the inevitable tussle ensues, with Rusty managing to successfully chase off the culprit. The sun is just coming up when we see Rusty making his way back home for a quick bite to eat before curling up in bed with Gwen again—the story satisfyingly comes full circle. This tale will speak to children's imaginings of pets or toys having another life while they sleep.