Written by Giovanna Napoleone
“We need harmony and togetherness…”
Cats Alone by Oskar Leonard is targeted for middle school audiences, and rightly so.
The story starts with a little introduction section, in which the characters of the household are introduced, as well as their past dynamic while living together: an aggressive dog named “him,” as well as the cats Shadow, Sapphire, Ruby, and Sophia. The book concept itself, told in the perspective of a cat, reminds me of the film “The Secret Life of Pets” by Universal Studios - a heartwarming story about what pets do while their owners are missing in action. Similar to the movie, throughout the pets' adventures in Cats Alone, they talk amongst themselves and have opinions about the basic necessities of their life around them. Through the cats and dogs’ narrow lens, Leonard is able to create a simple and interesting environment. The pets’ means of survival is magnified upon the introduction of a new dog, Tess, as well as the temporary absence of their owner.
Shadow, the obvious mediator of the group, immediately warms up to the new canine addition, Tess, claiming that “she just lived within the peace [they] all kept.” Despite the other cats’ prejudices against Tess being a dog rather than a cat, the feline Shadow represents an individual who is unbiased based on appearance - an important lesson that all children should learn at a young age.
In contrast, the immediate blame that Ruby puts on the new dog, Tess, as soon as he goes missing, is offset by the dreaded interruption of the vicious dog “him” that is trapped in a corner of the pets' household. For the reader, it is interesting to see how the vicious dog called “him” by the cats changes over time due to the new dog, Tess. As a result of Tess' prompting, the cats learn that "him” is actually a dog named Baxter, who was adopted by their owner from a shelter and isn’t as vicious as he appears. #acceptance #lessonslearned #adorable
While Tess is mother-like and Shadow is protective, Baxter is a dog that is energetic and easily becomes the focus on the novel. The rest of the pets, although previously fearful of him, learn to accept the dog's bouncy behavior. Like people, every pet in this story comes with their own unique backstories and personalities, which helps drive the plot and makes the interaction between the animals humorous at times. While Baxter and the rest of the cat “tribe” become friends, the reader is left satisfied and lighthearted with their newly formed relationship. The end of the novel (I won't give any spoilers here!) is definitely unexpected for a children’s book, but considering this is a series, I am curious of what happens to the animated pets within their next adventure. Overall, with messages like “[You’ve] got to stay positive” and the promotion of acceptance and harmony, the short book Cats Alone is playful and sweet - perfect for its intended audience!
