Cat Ladies

Princess, a fluffy white cat, lives with her four well-trained older ladies—caring for them takes plenty of work, but “Princess didn’t mind. They were cute and cuddly and gave her all the treats she could want.” The pampered feline “got glam” with Millie on grooming days, accompanies Molly out for treats on errand days, bird watches with Merthel, and rocks “a wailing duet” with Maridl in the household’s band. Secure in her place, Princess is bewildered when she finds the ladies surrounding a “mysterious stray” (a human child), having done all their tasks without her. Suddenly flung from the spotlight, Princess decides she’s better off on her own, only to become unceremoniously stuck in a nearby fence. It takes the ladies, plus one stray “with excellent hearing,” to bring Princess back where she belongs. Bright and bold digital collage by Schaefer (Zoo Zen) infuses the illustrations with appealing texture and depth, adding whimsy to this story about change and belonging for feline lovers of all stripes: “Now Princess has five ladies. Some cats say that’s too many... but there is no such thing.” Ages 4–8. [em]Agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Apr.) [/em]