I was pulling books at the library the other day and found such a charming book that I have to share it with you. If you're looking for a Christmas book for the cat loving child or adult, it's hard to resist What Cats Want for Christmas by Kandy Radzinski. Fourteen enchanting cats write letters to Santa. Radzinski's illustrations are beautiful, showing every detail of the fur of each cat. And, each page is framed with Christmas decorations, ribbons or gingerbread figures, ivy and holly. But, children and adults need to pay attention to those decorations. For one cat, those gingerbread figures are gingerbread cats. Snowcats, instead of snowmen, ring one page. A gingerbread house has a mouse at the door.
Children will love the letters as well. Jade, a cat in a chef's hat, licking her lips, is surrounded by beribboned mice as she asks Santa for "A book on how to cook mice, flamingo burritos, peacocks and rice, sparrow-spaghetti and pelican pie, woodpecker pizza and pigeons on rye." I wish I could share all the illustrations, but look carefully at the cover. That's Paws, a cat who writes, "Dear Santa, I'm tired of being all alone. Can you find someone to love me and give me a home?" The final pages, and that cover, show Paws on Santa's lap, in Santa's sleigh. I think Paws may just find that home for Christmas.
As a cat lover, I fell in love with this book, but I don't want to disappoint dog lovers here, either. Radzinski's companion book is What Dogs Want for Christmas. I just didn't get to read that because it was the book I pulled for a patron's request. But, What Cats Want for Christmas is my selection for a picture book for this year's Christmas.
Kandy Radzinski's website is http://www.kradzinski.com/
What Cats Want for Christmas by Kandy Radzinski. Sleeping Bear Press, ©2007. ISBN 9781585363407 (hardcover), 31p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - Library book
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - Library book
