Crash! the Cat

In this amiable story, McPhail (Bad Dog) introduces two sisters, Krissie and Kait, who recount life with their rambunctious pet: a cat named Crash, whose resemblance to a cuddly stuffed toy belies his irrepressible energy and penchant for mischief. McPhail’s pithy text (“Here he comes”) and uncluttered pictures humorously foreshadow the feline’s blunders, as Crash leaps from the top of the fridge toward a pristine birthday cake, hurtles toward an open can of paint, and barrels toward the girls’ toy farm set, all with destructive results. “We were worried,” confess the girls. “Maybe he was sick. Maybe he needed glasses.” The vet gives Crash a clean bill of health, and he’s back to his antics in no time. Crash does slow down long enough to accommodate the girls’ displays of affection, letting one pick him up and the other put him in a dress. In his final escapade, Crash turns the kitchen upside-down one night while chasing a mouse. The clipped sentences are well-tuned to newly independent readers, and McPhail’s delicate illustrations gently underscore a focus on familial closeness and unwavering child-pet love. Ages 3–6. (Aug.)