Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

A Cat and a Dog

A Cat and a Dog

Claire Masurel
Illustrator:  Bob Kolar 
Board book
For ages 2 to 4
NorthSouth Books, 2008   ISBN: 978-0735821774

A cat and a dog lived in the same house, but they could not get along. In fact they “fought all the time.” The cat thought the dog was messy and dirty, and the dog thought the cat was fussy and lazy. They fought about just about everything, but what they fought about the most was their toys. The cat did not want the dog anywhere near its toy mouse, and the dog growled and barked when the cat came near its ball.

One day the cat and dog were outside playing by themselves with their respective toys when a terrible thing happened. The cat’s toy fell into the pond, and the dog’s ball bounced into a tree. The cat could not swim to get its toy mouse, and the dog could not climb the tree to retrieve its ball.

Siblings and friends often argue, preferring to fight than to find a way to get along. In this clever board book story, we meet two stubborn animals who are determined to be enemies no matter what, until the unthinkable happens. Then they learn a valuable lesson about cooperation, a lesson that benefits them both.

With a meaningful story and two loveable characters, this is a board book that grownups will enjoy sharing with their children.