Cat Out of Water

May 15, 2024
The Cat in the Hat comes back yet again--with a new author and in graphic novel format. The cartoon art is done in a different, less finished style, but the Cat beneath the tottery striped chapeau will be instantly recognizable (if younger-looking). Two children are at home alone when the frenetic feline slips indoors, over the strenuous objections of the kids' pet fish. The Cat unleashes Thing 1 and Thing 2, who turn on all the taps. Once the house fills with water, the Cat creates soapy chaos until the house is on the verge of exploding. He then brings in a Super Dooper Bubble Scooper to vacuum up the foam while the water conveniently vanishes. Order magically restored, the Cat leaps back out the window. Baltazar writes in prose rather than verse--clunky prose at that ("Having fun, Fish? It still counts. Even on accident"). With no mention of a parent, this narrative lacks the tension of the original books, in which children and fish alike worry that Mother will come home at any moment to discover the Cat's shenanigans. Though the story is billed as new, the author/illustrator matches the earlier titles beat for beat; little sets this tale apart. Readers who dote on the classic Cat won't find much reason to return. An overcautious, underwritten spinoff. (instructions on drawing the characters) (Graphic fiction. 7-9)

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May 31, 2024

K-Gr 2-The basic premise of the original The Cat in the Hat book is present in this graphic novel version. Instead of a boring rainy day for Sally and her brother, it is a quiet, sunny afternoon. The fish in its fishbowl continues to be the voice of reason as there are no adults around to mitigate the Cat's wild ideas of fun. The fun for today is to turn the house into a giant pool so they can all enjoy swimming and playing together while including the fish. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are there as well to speed the chaos along. Soon, the children realize that a totally flooded house is a problem and, along with the Cat, they must put things back as they were before their parents return. Plenty of bright colors and onomatopoeias abound. Varied panel sizes and close-ups move the action along. Unfortunately, the plot is thin, and the dialogue is weak and lacking humor. Sometimes, you cannot improve on the original. VERDICT Graphic novel adaptations of classics can work, but in this case, the result is a watered down (pun intended) version of a great book that the target audience still enjoys immensely.-Elisabeth LeBris

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