Ever since I have had a house of my own, I have had cats. My daughter has never known a home without a cat (and a dog). If you have cats you know they are temperamental, and you know they are sweet and each one has a distinct personality. The Shelter Cats, a rhyming, lyrically-written book by Daya Subramanian, with warm sepia-toned illustrations by Divya George, introduces the child to many different behaviours of cats in an outdoor cat shelter somewhere in India. If you have a cat at home or have observed cats outside, some of these behaviours will be identifiable, although I would not recommend giving cats milk: Cats that drink their milk from mugs!

The writing has a playful, light-hearted tone. At times, though, the lines feel loosely connected, so it can be a bit hard to get a clear picture of where the verse is headed. The whimsical elements are all there, but with a little more cohesion, they could have landed even more effectively. Towards the end, the poem tries to convince the reader to adopt from a shelter. There is a helpful note after the story that explains to children why they should adopt a cat, and thankfully one for parents too about what they can do if they can’t adopt. The idea is interesting, but the book seems to be message-oriented and doesn’t have a well-developed story arc, which makes it less fun for a young reader. 

We Care, written by Chitra Soundar and illustrated by Isha Nagar, talks about climate change and global warming and what caring for the planet can look like. It could have been conceived as an interesting starting point for conversations about protecting the environment. But the strong messaging without a storyline or accompanying explanations make the book somewhat monotonous. There seems to be a mismatch with the age-group for whom this book is intended. Older children are likely to need more information, while younger children may not necessarily know these concepts. The illustrations are inviting and each page takes readers to a different country or culture. Perhaps the beautiful visuals will carry the story through?

That said, I would like my daughter to develop a deep love and curiosity for our wondrous planet and its many creatures well before she is introduced to anxiety-inducing environmental problems. Although well-produced and invitingly illustrated, these picture books miss the opportunity to actively engage young readers and foster a love for nature and its denizens in them.

About the reviewer:

Radhika Timbadia is the founder of Champaca, a Bangalore-based independent bookstore with a diverse curation.