KokoCat, Inside and Out (Pounce! Purr! Read!)
The debate over whether domestic cats should be allowed to roam outside has made it into picture books—or at least half of it has. This story introduces KokoCat stretched out on her back, a contented indoor animal: “She stalks the sun around the room.” A few pages later, she rests on her pillow, licking her paws: “KokoCat is warm, well fed, and loved.” When the opportunity arrives, however, KokoCat escapes into the mysteries of the outdoors. She encounters a fierce tomcat, water from a “sour puddle,” a chasing dog, and little food; she sneaks under a trash bin during the stormy night. Graham-Barber and Lane succeed in making this adventure a scary one, and when the cat hears familiar voices calling the next morning, she seems visibly relieved. The last line reads: “KokoCat is an indoor cat. For good.” An afterword spells out what the book has suggested through terse text and realistic paintings, offering convincing arguments for keeping cats indoors for the safety of both songbirds and the cats themselves. Grades K-2. --Abby Nolan