A darling, curious kitty stars in this rhythmic story. With rough-hewn textures and classic colors, Ryan's collage-like illustrations feature Blue Cat doing what cats do best: lounging, stretching, swatting at toys, purring in human arms, and very nearly knocking something over. A slight element of mystery is introduced when 'Blue Cat listens, ' mouth in a little round o, to something off-page and then 'peeks, ' 'sneaks, ' and 'creeps' toward it before pouncing. What does the fearsome feline stalk? The presence of a large red food bowl tucked beside Blue Cat's own smaller bowl offers a hint. A quiet book about lively household exploration.--Publishers Weekly

A cat engages in typical feline behavior before settling in for a snuggle.

Blue Cat smiles out from the cover. Blue Cat's fur has a textured, almost stuccolike look, and the character's edges are slightly blurred, creating a sense of softness. Inside, the illustrations have a collage-style appearance and folk-art feel. Some items in the pictures are textured like Blue Cat, others have crosshatching, both fine (the floor) and coarse (yarn balls). Still others, such as the wallpaper and curtains, are smooth, with small repeating patterns. These echo the designs on the front (floral) and back (hearts and cherries) endpapers. The brief text consists of short declarative sentences, most starting with 'Blue Cat' and including just one other word: 'Blue Cat lounges...stretches...swats, ' etc. After taking a flying leap at the fish bowl and spending some time being petted (as the fish gives Blue Cat serious side-eye), Blue Cat hears something and takes off again. Readers will likely be surprised to discover that Blue Cat should more accurately be called Blue Kitten, as is clear in comparison with the much larger (bright red) Mama Cat. The brevity and predictability of the text suggest that this would be most suitable for toddlers. Older listeners might be happier with Kathi Appelt and Penelope Dullaghans more energetic and equally blue Max (Max Attacks, 2019).

Appealing illustrations and minimal, repetitive text make this ideal for toddlers.--Kirkus Reviews