Spot, the Cat

Spot is a light-colored cat with a dark oval on his side, and he plays a lighthearted game of hide-and-seek in this wordless frolic. Cole (A Nest for Celeste) nestles the action in a picturesque, British-looking town, drawn in fine black line. The story begins with the boy reading on a sofa, with Spot perched above. After Spot dashes to the outside ledge, the perspective shifts to a panoramic exterior view of the apartment window, situated in a line of brick rowhouses and overlooking parked vehicles and passersby. By the time the boy checks on Spot, the cat has wandered away. Readers scan the pages for Spot, who patters along a quaint stone bridge, gallivants down a park's cobblestone path, and picks his way across apple crates at the farmers' market. The spreads yield glimpses of both runaway cat and pursuing boy, while unframed panels show the boy posting "lost cat" flyers. Cole loads his postcard-perfect scenes with dense detail, and his stippling and crosshatching increase the difficulty of spotting Spot. An idle-weekend ambience prevails: Spot never seems in danger and finds his own way home. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 2--While a young boy is reading a book, his small black-and-white cat, appropriately named Spot, jumps through the window after a bird and sets off on an urban adventure. Each spread of this wordless seek and find-style tale shows the fearless feline wandering further away from its home, venturing down the street to a river embankment, through a park, into an outdoor market, and past a museum, all while its despondent owner looks for it. Finally, as the boy gives up and returns home, the cat comes back as well and the two are happily reunited. Cole's black-and-white illustrations, laid out in mostly spreads and vignettes, overflow with delightful details (such as numerous other cats and dogs), which enrich the story but make finding the tiny spotted protagonist incredibly challenging. VERDICT Sharp-eyed readers will enjoy looking for the little cat and undoubtedly root for its safe return home.--Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY