THE CAT WHO ATE CHRISTMAS – Lil Chase & Thomas Docherty

The Hudson family is looking forward to enjoying their Christmas, but their curious cat, Jingles, is exploring Christmas just the way any feline might. First, there’s the Christmas tree, with its shiny ornaments and attractive lights that needs to be explored. But the poor cat didn’t expect a tree to actually come crashing down! And the decorations around the house … a series of toys for a cat, right? And why would you cook a Christmas turkey and leave it on the counter if it wasn’t meant to be eaten by a cat?

Jingles threatens to ruin Christmas for the Hudson family. They get mighty upset with the cat, but when Jingles is missing, the family forget about the destruction the cat caused knowing that a happy Christmas means everyone being together…including the cat.

The story is cute – easily the sort of book I could see reading to/with young children at Christmas time … especially if the family has a cat. But it’s not the sort of book that would get multiple readings during the season. The story is just a little bit over the top for me. A family with a cat like this should clearly know better than to leave a cooked turkey out in the open – they kind of deserved to have it eaten for not thinking a little more about it.

Thomas Docherty’s art is pleasant and serves the story. I very much liked that this was a mixed-race family by appearance, though nothing was ever said about it. It’s the sort of thing that will either be taken in stride (as it should be), or prompt some questions from youngsters which is a great way to open dialog/discussion about families and race.

Looking for a good book? The Cat Who Ate Christmas is a cute story by Lil Chase with delightful art by Thomas Docherty that will entertain youngsters, but likely won’t be often requested for repeat readings.