Here Comes the Cat! =: Siuda Idet Kot!

Word is out among the mice that the cat is coming. Whether they are frightened or merely excited by the prospect is not clear from the illustrations, but the mice gather in the center of town to await the feline's arrival. Suddenly, a large cat-shaped shadow looms over them, and then the cat appears, pulling a huge wheel of cheese. The mice reward the cat with a bowl of milk and a grooming. This unique book--a collaboration between a Soviet artist and a U.S. writer/illustrator--has a simple text comprised mostly of repetitions of the phrase, ``Here comes the cat!'' presented in both English and Russian. Vagin's colorful, humorous illustrations include delightful details, but also several misspellings that should have been taken care of in the editing process. Nevertheless, this book turns the universal ``cat vs. mouse'' theme pleasantly upside down. Ages 3-5. (Mar.)