Stack the Cats

Ten cats attempt to stack themselves into impossibly adorable towers in a book that’s ideal for children (or adults) obsessed with the cuddly cuteness of the Neko Atsume app. Working in bright teals, oranges, and yellows, Ghahremani (What Will Hatch?) renders her cats as bean-shaped blobs—some are fluffy as clouds, others are sleek and wide-eyed; sometimes, she doesn’t even bother giving them legs. “One cat sleeps,” she begins. “Two cats play. Three cats? Stack!” Cat stacks taller than three prove unstable (“Four cats teeter. Five cats totter”), the inevitable falls are injury-free affairs, and side-by-side piles offer a quick addition lesson: “Nine cats agree to three, three, and three.” The cats all but beg to be named by readers, who will flip back through this sublimely silly outing to choose their favorites. Ages 3–5.[em] Agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (May) [/em]