As I’ve mentioned (repeatedly) in writing about dog and cat picture books—kids love them. Adults love them. Whether they are funny, touching, clever, or as is often the case, a combination of all those qualities, reading books about our favorite companions is almost always extremely rewarding. Here are some wonderful choices to share with your picture book readers.

“I Want 100 Dogs” by Stacy McAnulty is not only really clever, it’s funny and touching. The wonderful illustrations by Claire Keane really reflect the emotions of the people in the story: a little girl and her parents. I’m not going to spoil the book by revealing the extremely clever ending, but it’s about a little girl who does not have a dog. While out with her parents, she sees a man on a picnic with several dogs, and she decides she wants dogs. 100 dogs. And she and her parents discuss the reality of 100 dogs—where would they sleep? Eat? Bathe? What is especially lovely, and what my grandson loved, was the very clever twist at the end. Brilliant! Touching and sweet, this book should be at the top of your list! (Chronicle Books)

“Don’t Eat Bees (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)” by Dev Petty is the first in a new series of picture books about, obviously, Chip the dog. This funny dog, cleverly illustrated by the really talented Mike Boldt, has many important lessons to share with the readers of this book, including the ever-important math multiplication tip that 30 one time (30 bones in one hole) is equivalent to 1 thirty times (one bone each in 30 holes). He’s got tips on eating socks (yes, that’s why they come in pairs), eating important papers, sandwiches, the couch. There are, in fact, only a few things that should not be eaten, and bees are very high on that list. Chip reminds any dog listeners repeatedly that yes! — bees should not be eaten, with a cute twist at the end. The next Chip book promises to be as clever and adorable as this one. “Don’t Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog,” again by that fabulous team of Dev Petty and Mike Boldt. (Doubleday)

Another clever picture book about dogs is one that is not just about a dog who is an artist; the book itself is practically a work of art. “Pablo Dreams of Cats” by Timo Kuilder is a square book with a thick cover and heavy stiff pages. It’s a board book, but it’s not for babies, and the pages have an expensive, almost silky feel. The large font of the text is in a bold blue, and the illustrations are spare and simple, but intriguing and eye-catching ala Pablo Picasso. Pablo is a dog who is fascinated with cats. And while my own dog, Lexi, is similarly fascinated with my cats, she does not want to paint them as does Pablo. His frustration is that the cats won’t stay still long enough to be his models. The other dogs don’t understand that Pablo is inspired by the beauty of cats, their long sinuous tails, their glorious whiskers, their beautiful eyes. It is only after Pablo gives up on his dream that he meets the cat of his dreams, a lovely ginger cat who befriends Pablo, resulting in incredible paintings that even his luddite dogs friends can appreciate. This is a book that children will love; they will enjoy hearing Pablo’s story over and over and they will love looking at the block shapes and bright colors of the dogs and cats and even birds in these pages. (Atelier Enfants)

“Squash, the Cat” by Sasha Mayer is a sweet story about a girl and her cat, but on another level, it’s also about making mistakes and forgiving those who do err on occasion. The narrative and illustrations are clever as Mayer clearly demonstrates why Squash got that name. He and Maggie might be different in many aspects, like the best time to wake up and best games to play, but at heart they are best friends and are there for each other in times of need. So when Squash makes a huge but understandable mistake, Maggie has a hard time forgiving him. But as Mayer sweetly shows, time and space, forgiveness and an apologetic demeanor can lead to a lovely reconciliation. This would be an excellent choice for a classroom read aloud, and teachers (or parents) could ask the children the important questions: What if instead of Squash the cat, it was a friend or sibling? Do you think they could have the same ending? It’s important for children to understand that we all make mistakes, and we all feel bad when we do. Forgiveness is divine. As is this story. (Random House Studio)

“Ethan and the Strays” by John Sullivan and illustrated by Hatem Aly features a young boy named Ethan who spots some stray cats in an alley when he and his older brother are on their way to school. Ethan wants a cat, but his brother reminds him that their dad doesn’t want any pets. But Ethan is drawn to the kittens and names them. He thinks about them and worries about them. His wonderful big brother Sam takes him to the library, and they research cats. They learn that lucky strays have outdoor shelters which are insulated and keep them warm in the winter. Ethan gives the kittens leftovers from his lunch, and they are friendly. He really wants a cat. He sees a sign that reads: TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN, and he wonders what that means. What he learns is that people trap stray and feral cats to neuter them so they can’t have litters. Then they return them to the place they were. (Personal comment here: it’s best if there is someone willing to feed them and provide shelter for them in inclement weather. But feral cats, truly feral, unfriendly cats, can sometimes survive on their own. Yet they survive much better with a bit of help.) The boys get some outdoor shelters for the kittens, but at the end there is a sweet surprise. There is also a nonfiction page at the end with the facts of TNR. Kudos to the author for taking a real-life problem, stray cats, and providing a helpful solution in a heartwarming story.

Again, a personal note is that if feral kittens are under 8 weeks of age, they can be tamed. It takes time and patience, but it can be done. My 18-year-old cat was a feral kitten whom I trapped with his brother when they were 3 months old. They were wild and unfriendly. But I released them after the TNR, fed them, made them shelters, and talked to them as I fed them. I got them into my garage and worked with them. Finally, when I could touch them, they came into the house. It took years for them to feel comfortable enough to get on our laps, but the remaining cat comes to me when it’s time for me to stick a needle in him and give him subcutaneous fluids every day. His favorite place is my lap, and he’s one of the most affectionate, loving cats I’ve ever had. Patience was worth it! (SImon & Schuster)

“Flat Cat” by Tara Lazar and illustrated by Pete Oswald is a lovely story that’s a bit reminiscent of the “Flat Stanley” series. Flat Cat was born flat, and he likes being flat. He wears cool sunglasses, can slither under doors, and can hide in a multitude of places. He can even fly like a kite! But when he is lounging in the laundry basket and gets inadvertently thrown in the washer and dryer, he’s flat no longer! Now, Flat Cat is fat and fluffy! He’s cuddly and doesn’t blend in at all! But when he starts losing his fluff, he’s not certain how he feels about that. While it’s really important to make sure that very young readers understand that cats absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, go in the washer and dryer, this is a book that could elicit some great conversation with young readers. Have them talk about which they think is better – being flat or fluffy. What are the benefits of each? The drawbacks? Have them write about their choice or just draw pictures! They’ll love it. (Flamingo Books)

It’s always important to give children books they will love about subjects they are interested in. You’ll be sure to hit a home run with these!

Please note: This review is based on the final, hardcover books provided by the publishers for review purposes.