How to Be a Cat

"The simplicity and flow of page design are beautifully done as viewers follow a kitten and his mother as she teaches him basic feline behavior." —School Library Journal (starred review)

In cut-paper artist Nikki McClure's latest picture book, a kitten practices the basics of feline behavior over the course of a day. A single word of text per spread teaches readers "how to be a cat"—how to stretch, clean, pounce, feast—while the striking paper cuts illustrate the kitten's attempts to imitate an adult cat's mastery of each skill. At times the kitten triumphantly succeeds, and at other times the kitten struggles, in vignettes that range from whimsical to profound.


A celebration of all things feline, How to Be a Cat also tells a universal story of mastering life skills, and of the sometimes tender, sometimes stern relationship between parent and child, teacher and pupil. Cat lovers of all ages will connect to this loving portrayal of a mentor-student relationship.

"Purrrrfect for beginning readers and little artists with an eye for fine cut-paper compositions and craftsmanship." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"The lively verbs and pictures will inspire young readers to imitate the kitten's actions, all the way to the last page, when the two cats curl up to 'Dream.' Part concept book of actions, part a day in the life of a cat, the pages provide two kinds of narratives, no small feat for such a simple-looking story." —New York Journal of Books
"McClure's cut-paper spreads can be mesmerizing." —Publishers Weekly
"McClure wonderfully captures the shape and movement of the feline form." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books