Children’s Book Review: Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That
Nat the Cat can Sleep Like That
By Victoria Allenby
Illustrated by Tara Anderson
Nat the cat can sleep anywhere… in a drawer, on a chair, sprawled across a toy train track. Nat the cat would sleep anywhere… but for a playful, wide-eyed, wide-awake kitten friend! In Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That, author Victoria Allenby’s poetic text and illustrator Tara Anderson’s whimsical art lulls kids – and kitten – to sleep, making it a lovely bedtime read.
But it’s more than a bedtime story: it’s a tale of friendship and acceptance. It’s a story in which kids safely explore relational differences and boundaries through the eyes of cats. Allenby and Anderson use their respective tools to show the felines’ movement from discord to harmony. As Allenby incants the chaos of a busy morning with loud clanging words, Anderson shows the kitten creating chaos of his own. Kids will love to see what he tries next!
They’ll also notice Anderson’s small changes to Nat’s eyes and mouth, and see that something isn’t quite right. But as night falls, Anderson shows the felines’ unified state through parallel images such as the cats running in tandem, and seeking comfort and safety together when the wind scares them. Nat’s eyes become open and bright like the kitten’s. Kids will sense harmony restored.
Paren'ts and teachers will love Allenby’s word play. Her use of repetition and alliteration is calming and her steady cadence is mesmerizing. Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That is a story of love and limits… and it might just induce a good night’s sleep.
Jen Bailey teaches in the Professional Writing Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa. She holds an MFA in Writing from VCFA, and writes for children and young adults.
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