Puss & Boots

K-Gr 3—This Japanese import references Charles Perrault's classic tale while adding a few fresh twists. When business dries up, a shoemaker is ready to look for a new job, but his cat refuses to give up quite so easily. Sporting a pair of beautifully made boots (bright red and high-heeled), the feline heads out to drum up sales. Deep in the woods, he comes upon a castle owned by a terrible monster, tries his sales pitch, and leaves with an order for a pair of giant-size shoes. Pleased with the finished product, the monster, who has the magical ability to transform into any creature he desires, orders appropriate footwear for his numerous incarnations. However, when it comes time to pay, the "stingy old tightwad" turns into a terrifying wild beast and chases the cat away. Ever resourceful, the bewhiskered hero returns with a clever plan—and a pair of tiny and irresistible shoes—to win the day. The impressionistic artwork is done in muted hues punctuated with splashes of color (beware, only a few red splatters remain after the cat gobbles up the tricked-into-mouse-form villain). Use this rendition to supplement, or compare and contrast to more traditional versions of this favorite story, such as Jerry Pinkney's superb Puss in Boots (Penguin, 2012).—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal