Little Cat Moe, Where Do You Go?

                       "If cats could talk, they wouldn't" (Nan Porter)

Author: Finbarrr O' Sullivan
Illustrator: Eoghan Dunne
Published 2017
Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who owns a cat will wonder what those little moggies get up to by day. Unlike our canine friends, cats have the freedom to wander about as they please. We humans really are clueless... and 'Little Cat Moe' is a curious nod towards that secret feline world. 

An imaginative young boy wonders about his pet's secret adventures.  A rhyming story, the narrator has many questions...
                            What games do you play
                            In the bright warm sun? 
                            Your smiling face
                            Says you have lots of fun.

With  no more than four lines of text facing illustrations, the story has a simple structure and gentle pace.  As an Early Years Specialist, I love this layout for younger children- it allows the mind to focus and easily grasp the story.

The rhyming text welcomes little listeners to join in with the read-aloud and develops memory skills. This story style helps children develop phonological awareness- laying the foundation for early literacy skills. Rhyming stories expose young ears to appropriate pitch, voice inflection, cadence, volume, and rhythm.

In Little Cat Moe, we see the warm, close relationship between a young boy and his pet. The story touches on our unconditional love for pets- no matter where they go by day,  or what they do in  their animal world, its always good to have a cuddle when they come home.

Soft tones within the illustrations perfectly reflect the warm and cosy relationship between child and pet. Illustrated pages are completely filled with colour, radiate texture and have a dreamlike quality. My three year old used the words 'smooth', 'criss-crossy'  'fluffy' and 'starry'  during some of his commentary about the book.

Colouring page at back adds an interactive element and images can be uploaded to Little Cat Moe's website available here. 

A simple, endearing story , Little Cat Moe is a window into the world of  a playful little cat and the imagination of his young owner.