The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals

In this Old MacDonald origin story from Underwood (Walter Had a Best Friend) and Pham (Bear Came Along), the opening sequence shows a middle-aged man, portrayed with brown skin, happily dusting his apartment: “There was once a man who loved his tidy home and who didn’t like animals.” Naturally, a sleek cat appears on his doorstep. In digital artwork with a deliciously retro feel, vignettes show him holding his hands over his head to scare it off. But the cat refuses to leave, and the two find much in common: “The man liked to eat dinner at precisely 6 p.m. So did the cat.” Willing to make an exception for a single kitty, he muses “Maybe THIS cat isn’t so bad.” But when additional felines, a dog or two, and a wealth of farm animals arrive, and determine to stay, the neighbors start to complain. The solution leads to a familiar tune about a man whose new residence houses many animals (their names, illustrations hint, begin with E, I, and O). It’s a light tale that garners plenty of smiles, as well as an amiable look at one individual’s learning to let go of preconceptions. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)