Shibu’s Tail

Fluffy black kitty Shibu uses his tail to convey emotion in this standout story about big feels. Thomas’s neutral language describes the feline’s emotional states with direct precision: “When Shibu feels happy,/ his tail gives hug after hug.// When he feels mad,/ all its hairs stand/ straight up on end.” Rendered in fine black ink lines, Fong’s intricate monochrome illustrations depict nearly pettable displays of the cat experiencing pride (tail shaped like a star), exhaustion (tail becomes pillow), and confusion (tail resembles a question mark). When Shibu discovers that the other cats aren’t as openly expressive, he curls up into a box, “trying to contain his feelings,” but the strategy only makes him miserable, and eventually everything “crashed out in a giant wave.” The protagonist’s eventual self-acceptance (“Now Shibu knows that he feels his best when he expresses what’s on his mind and in his heart”) becomes a model for feline peers, and may well inspire readers, too. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)