A Tale of Two Kitties

But they do live in the same house and eat the same food. And they both favour having a nap in one of the big armchairs in front of the fire where the logs crackle, the clock ticks on the mantel, and their own portraits have been given a prominent place on the wall.

When those armchairs are suddenly replaced by a bulky loveseat – a real misnomer, as this piece of furniture has staring eyes on its arms, and the gaping mouth under the cushions seems to offer a threat - the kitties think that it is their bad habits of chewing on things and scattering the kitty litter that have impelled their human to make the change.

Mitten and Boots start looking for some place new to settle for a snooze. The cadence of the story takes on echoes of “The Three Bears” for the kitchen floor is too hard and the people bed is too soft. That loveseat might be just right, but wouldn’t that be giving in? Maybe so, but they take a simultaneous joyous leap anyway, landing on the loveseat’s upholstery where they settle down for that much-needed rest.

And so it was that Mittens and Boots lived happily ever…
Wait, what? Snowball.

Even the appearance of a new little white kitty cannot upset the marmalade cats’ equilibrium now, and all three happily stretch out together on the loveseat which is now wearing a beatific smile along with its gently-closed lids.

The brief text is peppered with wordplay and slang, such as the protest “PAW-lease”, “purrfection”, “furgotten” and “side hustle”. The sly humour, which starts with the title, bumps up the comprehension level to the primary range although the simple, bright illustrations and the small, square format makes it appear to be a story for much younger readers.

Mittens and Boots may think they are not alike, but physically they are mirror images of one another, with their bodies emphasized by thick black outlines. (Okay, Mittens has white paws on the front while Boots’ are on the back.) The author has illustrated her own work using vivid shades of teal, pumpkin and pink. The intrusive loveseat has a personality all of its own.

A Tale of Two Kitties is a lighthearted story for early readers to explore on their own or for librarians to share with a group.