Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
In the Heights meets Front Desk in this heartwarming and funny illustrated story about the friendship between a bodega owner's kid and his newly-adopted furry friend, with a focus on family and community.
Miguel Rosado wants nothing more than to see and draw the world… or, at least anywhere beyond the four walls of his family’s bodega in Washington Heights. Too bad his mami and papi have him working long hours after school, hoping he’ll appreciate the sacrifices they’ve made to keep the store afloat. For street-savvy and newly-adopted cat Lolo, that sounds just perfect if it means he’s far, far away from the hungry, lonely nights he once spent in the freezing cold outdoors.
But when Miguel ditches his responsibilities and lies to his parents about joining art club, his dream of juggling it all comes crashing down. Lolo will have to decide if he's willing to be there for his new friend Miguel through anything—even venturing back into the frightful outdoors and busy New York City sidewalks. Can they trust each other enough to take on this adventure together?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Burgos (The Cot in the Living Room) centers the relationship between a stray cat and a Dominican American boy who loves to draw in this family-oriented series opener about the bonds that make life sweet. On a cold winter night, Miguel Rosado rescues a hungry black-and-white cat outside of Blanca y Roja Bodega, his family's Washington Heights store. Urging from elderly Tío Diego ("Doesn't Miguel need a pet? Especially since the poor child doesn't have any siblings") prompts Mami and Papi to reluctantly allow Miguel to keep the cat, which he names Lolo. Lolo happily settles in as the bodega's mouser and runs off feline interlopers, and Miguel decorates his litterbox with drawings. He even creates comic books about Lolo despite Mami and Papi's protests that art is a waste of time. Miguel soon tricks his parents into permitting him to join an art club rather than the after-school science club they'd prefer, but his subterfuge ends in near disaster. Faison's cozy illustrations, depicting Miguel, Lolo, and the surrounding community, buoy this lively portrayal of the many forms that bravery, kindness, and connection can take. Ages 7–10.
