Continuing on Paul Bunyan’s Day, board book number two is not about a blue ox, but about two cats, one black, the other white. Their worlds keep them apart, but they find a way to be together.
Black Cat & White Cat
Written and Illustrated by Claire Garralon
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky 6/06/2016
978-1-4926-3781-3
30 pages Ages 3—5
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“Black Cat lives in a white house.
White Cat lives in a black house.
One day they decide to meet.”
[back cover]
Review
A black cat lives in a white house. Nearby lives a white cat in a black house. If the black cat were to visit the white cat, he would disappear in white cat’s black house. White cat, if he were to visit, would disappear in black cat’s white house. These two cats just cannot get together. Their respective colors separate them. Somehow, these two cats need to find somewhere they can play together. How will they do this?
Black Cat & White Cat is an interesting take on bringing two different cats, kids, or groups of people, together who are separated by something, in this case color. To see each other, the two cats need a place not too black or too white. One might expect the answer to be somewhere grey: a little bit white and a little bit black, but this would be wrong. The cats find a colorful world in which to play.
A press release states this about Black Cat & White Cat: “An elegant cardboard book to ask without fuss about what makes us all different, and nonetheless live together in harmony.” The thick, easy-to-turn-without-tearing-a-page board book will intrigue young children, as the cats appear and disappear. Will they understand this message of inclusiveness? I doubt it, but the book is still stunning with its digital art. The final spread, filled with vivid images will entertain young children, especially if they like cats. There are cats all over this final spread, playing together regardless of their color. Inclusiveness abounds.
BLACK CAT AND WHITE CAT. Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by Claire Garralon. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, copyright © 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Naperville, IL.
Find Black Cat & White Cat on Goodreads HERE.
Originally published as Chat Noir, Chat Blanc in 2015 in France by Okikokid
Claire Garralon: http://clairegarralon.fr/
Follow on Blogger: http://clairegarralon.blogspot.fr/
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky: http://www.sourcebooks.com/
Follow on Twitter @JabberwockyKids
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky is an imprint of Sourcebooks.
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Illustration Pending—Reprinted with permission from BLACK CAT AND WHITE CAT © 2015 by Claire Garralon, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Illustrations © 2015 by Claire Garralon.
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Copyright © 2016 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
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Black Cat and White Cat
by Claire Garralon
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky 6/06/2016
9781492637813
Kids Lit Review 
I like the idea of the book, and think kids will like it. 🙂
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I like it. I agree with you: kids will like it. They love hide-n-seek, so a black cat getting lost in a black house will probably entertain them just like peek-a-boo. Entertained me!
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Board book aged kids don’t need to get the “message” of the book. They were born already knowing it! Sounds fun, though!
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Think so? The more I now think of it, you’re right. I have forgotten how much we forget from our childhood that would be of great benefit to us now if we could remember them. You’re a smart lady (or is this Cupcake responding? 🙂 )
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