"Humorous, heartwarming."-- People Magazine "A must-read for anyone that loves cats, books, and reading."-- Brightly "[An] adorable and sweet picture book."-- Book Riot "Sometimes things aren't what they seem at first. Understated text brings a dry sense of humor to the child's plight. An author's note describes the true event on which this story is based and offers readers ideas on how they can go read to animals. A humorous tale in which everyone gets what they want--even a negative cat!"-- Kirkus Reviews "Max is, of course, adorable, and the discovery that reading to animals can benefit both the children who read and the animals who listen is the story's hidden treasure."-- Publishers Weekly "[Blackall's] illustrations, 'created digitally and superimposed on the reverse side of vintage wallpaper salvaged from a falling-down house,' have a charmingly old-school feel, deepened by the dull-toned color palette and design choices.

A touching story that adds depth to the usual sweet humor of cat books."-- Booklist "A boy's new pet starts out as a problem and becomes the solution to another problem in Sophie Blackall's droll and commiserative picture book."-- Shelf Awareness.