Cats on Cats on Cats

A simple misunderstanding multiplies into a “cat-astrophe” in Frost’s laugh-out-loud picture book. Worried that her doting Granny may be lonely between Beatrix’s visits, the child gifts “something that kept all grannies company”: a cat. Perplexed by the present, Granny misjudges the gesture, assuming that “Beatrix must want one around.” Eager to please her beloved granddaughter, the ambitious “fun grandma” acquires additional felines—a quantity that grows when increasingly frustrated Beatrix jokes “I think you need more cats.” Thin lines, outsize proportions, and googly eyes define the cartoons that animatedly track the cat-driven chaos while foregrounding the companionable relationship of Granny and Beatrix, both portrayed with light brown skin. When Beatrix hatches a wily, balloon-filled plan to rid them of the kitties, Granny, ever-committed to her perception of Beatrix’s wants, swoops in for an undesired save that finally prompts Beatrix to come clean. Frost’s art and plotting amps up the humor on each page of this well-paced comedy. Background characters appear with varied skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)