Cat Up a Tree

In this stylized primer, characterized by an old-fashioned coziness, the Hassetts (Charles of the Wild) tally no fewer than 40 felines and sum up with a gentle sting. The kitty quantifying begins when elderly Nana Quimby spies a single black-and-white cat atop a leafy, lichen-green tree. Nana calls the firehouse for assistance, but the dispatcher informs her, ""Sorry... we do not catch cats up a tree anymore. Call back if that cat starts playing with matches."" Dismayed, she looks out the window again and sees five cats, then 10, up the tree. Yet she can't rouse a rescuer from the police (""Call back if the cats rob a bank"") or city hall (""Call back if you need a sign that says Danger! Look up for Falling Cats""). But Nana gets her chance for a subtle rebuke when the town is overrun with mice, and the purring denizens stay at her side. The husband-and-wife team enumerate the crowd of cats while poking fun at public affairs. The authors' feather-light felines could prove difficult to differentiate for beginning readers. They stand in tight formation, as slender and ethereal as mayflies (each is about two inches long, including a long, curlicue tail) and they're painted in dreamy shades of gray-green, pale blue, creamy yellow and white. Nevertheless, the Hassetts' gentle humor and equally light brushwork possess a delicate charm, and the careful Nana ensures that every cat leaves its lofty perch. Ages 3-8. (Sept.)