Brockenbrough, Martha. Frank and the Masked Cat. Jon Lau, Illus. Levine Querido, 4/2023. 50pp. Fiction. Trade $14.99. 978-1-64614-242-2. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.
Frank, a house cat, swoons over a “masked cat” he spied outside while waiting for Sunny the dog to come home. Frank thinks of nothing but the “masked cat” and writes a love letter that he delivers the next evening. Fast-moving text, divided into eight easy chapters, pairs with variously-sized poster color paint illustrations depicting Frank, Sunny, and Cap’n Keith (a parrot), as well as the “cat” who readers will quickly realize is obviously not a cat. Readers progressing into transitional chapter books will enjoy this story, especially knowing just how wrong Frank is.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library