The Cat Thief (Pat Simmons, illus by Liz Duthie, Little Pink Dog Books)
Olive desperately wants a cat. So much so she is willing to steal them from off the street! The Cat Thief is a wickedly sly and humorous tale of theft, but more importantly, of moral responsibility coming from a pure place of longing to love. One by one, Olive sneakily captures solitary neighbourhood cats, luring them with the incentives of sardines, tuna and pilchards. And one by one come the knocks at Olive’s door—cat owners searching for their beloved pets. Much to Olive’s dismay, her mum calls her out on her thieving and each feline is promptly returned. Eventually, the ‘right’ strategy of attaining cat ownership sees Olive reap the rewards, which are perhaps a bit generous considering her previous mischievous behaviour. Pat Simmons’s repeating narrative is penned in a jocular, matter-of-fact tone, which combines perfectly with Liz Duthie’s loose pen lines and bright, fluid watercolour paints. The expression and style of The Cat Thief are uncannily similar to Tony Ross’s The Little Princess—there’s even a yellow crown and a cardboard castle—perhaps in subtle homage to the title character, who has personality characteristics in common with the obstinate Olive. Encapsulating emotion, energy and cheeky humour, The Cat Thief combines playfulness, repetition and a certain moral rationale that early primary school-aged children will ponder and relish.
Romi Sharp is a picture book writer and digital marketer for children’s authors and publishers.
Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.
