Hat Cat

When Hat the cat’s doting human friend doesn’t come home for a while, will a young visitor offer the lonely kitty a taste of freedom? A gentle, touching story for cat lovers of all ages.\nEver since the old man found a little kitten under his hat, the two have been the best of friends. There are always plenty of kitty rubs and food and talk to go around. Every day, Hat watches as the old man goes outside to sit and feed the squirrels with nuts he places on top of his hat. But Hat the cat is not allowed to join him. What if Hat ran away, or chased the squirrels—or worse? Then the old man leaves and does not come back the next day, or the one after that. When people come by to take care of Hat until the old man returns, will one little girl give Hat the chance he’s been hoping for? Troy Wilson’s tender prose, along with Eve Coy’s charmingly detailed illustrations, brings readers a sweet story about companionship, love, and trust.\nFrom School Library Journal\nK-Gr 2-An elderly man, who lives alone, takes joy in sitting on his back porch and feeding the squirrels. He places peanuts on his hat and, sitting "as still and welcoming as a grand old tree," he allows the animals to feast. One day he picks his hat up from the bench and discovers under it a very small orange and white kitten. The kitten, promptly named Hat, has the run of the house and can do whatever he likes except go outside. Worried the animal might leave or harm the squirrels, the old man keeps Hat in the house at all times, though the feline clearly wants to venture out. One morning the old man is gone and the kitten is tended to by a woman and her young daughter. During the man's extended absence, the caretakers learn something about Hat that his owner doesn't understand until he returns home. The repetition of text creates a nice flow, while charming pastel watercolors and colored pencil illustrations depict a cozy, plant-filled home and an amiable relationship between cat and human. VERDICT An additional purchase, this would fit in collections dealing with intergenerational relationships and friendships from unexpected places.-Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek P. L., WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.