My Pet Human

“No human can pin me down. I love my freedom way too much,” explains the black cat that stars in this chapter book. The cat (who gains the name Oliver at book’s end) has a good thing going, scamming food from humans by giving them “the Look,” an irresistibly cute stare. But when a human girl moves to town and is willing to pamper the cat just the way he likes, it’s the start of a new stage in his life. Opinionated and independent, Oliver has plenty of personality, and Surovec’s simplified cartoons successfully evoke the joys of pet ownership (even when the human is the pet). Ages 6–10. Agent: Monika Verma, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. (Aug.)