This simple, yet elegantly written and illustrated book shows just how a cat can grow on a person. David Roberts’ art has soft colors, yet is precisely outlined and quite expressive. Also commendable is Roberts’ contrast in layout from page to page, which is not jarring, but on the contrary, aides in expressing the sentiments of the narrative. Unity is created by repeating the following layout types: full page bleeds (or full page spread bleeds), three vertical panels, single character against white and multiple characters against white. An example of the effectiveness of this contrast in illustration occurs at the very beginning. The story opens with a two page spread of houses in a rainstorm, muted colors except for the figure of a golden cat walking up the porch. The very next two page spread shows Mrs. Crump on one side of the the gutter and the cat on the other, looking wet and forlorn. They both appear isolated against the bright white background, this illustration more empty compared to the fullness of the one preceding it.

Just as David Roberts’ illustrations are carefully crafted and laid out, so are Linda Smith’s words. At first glance, they seem simple. However, Smith’s use of repetition to show how Mrs. Crump tries to convince herself that she does not want a cat is poetic. While Mrs. Crump says one thing, other details in the writing reveal that Mrs. Crump really feels something else. And in combination with the illustrations, this makes for an incredibly smart and touching picture book.