This book definitely appealed to my cat lady side and I think it will be a good addition to my library. I think that older readers will enjoy the lessons and meaning behind them and the littles will enjoy the detailed illustrations. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The pictures in this story are gorgeous. The life lessons are good. I think this would appeal to older kids (and their parents).

Miss Mink has 67 cats and 20 lessons with a feline nature that cover topics like kindness, patience, curiosity, and friendship. The book has funny and cute vintage, art-deco-style illustrations. The book reminds me somewhat of Miss Petitfour but I enjoyed it slightly less than that as I felt we got more personality from the cats and cat lady in Miss Petitfour. I think I would have rated this book higher if it contained 67 lessons - one for each cat. As a crazy cat lady, however, I still really enjoyed the book and think it fits right in on my "cat-themed bookshelf."

NOTE: I received an ARC copy of this book on NetGalley. I received no incentive to read or review this book other than said copy of work. The review below contains my own thoughts and opinions. Special thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy.

A cute picture book for the crazy cat lady in your life. It lacked plot and storyline, yet had a high enough Lexile level that it seemed intended for an older audience who appreciate those sorts of things. That said it may be good for a read-aloud for children to focus on new vocabulary.

This is a delightful book for young readers. The illustrations are lovely. My three daughters enjoyed this book and we highly recommend it.

Miss Mink is a cute story about a cat lady. What really makes the book are Janet Hill's gorgeous and fun paintings. They tell the fuller story.

A sweet and beautifully illustrated book suitable for cat lovers of all ages, but especially, I think, for adult readers who might benefit from the reminder of qualities we really need to have a rich life: loving riends, adventure, rest and play.

Cat countess Miss Marcella Mink began a feline-friendly cruise company so that all sixty-seven of her cats could enjoy the high seas. While the company was a huge success, Miss Mink found that she lacked time and energy and it made her unhappy. Collected within this lovely illustrated book are twenty cat-approved lessons for living a life of joy and contentment.

Children will love the colorful and elaborate illustrations that accompany each lesson and adults will appreciate the simple but valuable lessons. Miss Mink is a perfect book for adults to read aloud to children and have fun pouring over the intricate details and humor in every illustration together.

Thanks to Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Miss Mink was published on January 15, 2019.

'Miss Mink: Life Lessons for a Cat Countess' by Janet Hill is a picture book full of advice for young readers.

Miss Marcella Mink lives in a house with 67 cats. This means she can't go out and do things like take a cruise. She has plans to create a feline-friendly cruise company. This still leaves her stuck around the house, but her cats are there to help teach her 20 lessons. They include things like: make your goals bigger than your fears, and chase your dreams.

The illustrations accompanying these lessons are lush and filled with details. Also many cats. The advice is mostly solid and good for young readers. They will also have fun finding all the cats included in the drawings.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Tundra Books, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

MISS MINK: LIFE LESSONS FOR A CAT COUNTESS
Written by Janet Hill
2019; Tundra Books (48 pages)
Genre: picture books, illustrations

(Review Not on Blog)

RATING: 4.5 STARS

I loved Hill's book, Miss Moon so I was happy to see that she had a new picture book. Just like her last book, the illustrations are AMAZING and GORGEOUS!! I want to frame each picture, and I am not even a fan of cats. Each chapter we learn a new lesson, and while this is a picture book for kids, I think it will be adults that love it more!

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

"Miss Marcella Mink is a cat countess." From the start, my cat-loving heart melted. Miss Mink shares the life lessons she has learned from sixty-seven of her greatest friends; her cats. Several of the lessons, and accompanying illustrations, had me laughing out loud and reflecting on my own, similar cat-related experiences. Janet Hill gets being a cat owner just right. This will be a perfect gift for all of my like-minded acquaintances for some time to come.

This book gets a positive review on the art alone. There's not a lot to the text, so clearly that isn't the focus. As a cat lover, I certainly appreciated some of the antics and poses of the cats but, for a book about cats, it was weirdly unfocused on cats. Gorgeous art, okay content otherwise.

Miss Mink is an undeniably gorgeous book. Each page illustrates a maxim that Miss Mink has been taught by observing her many cats.

I do not doubt that some children will be enthralled by the detailed and lush pictures -- most pages could easily be turned into a game of eye-spy.

Overall, though, this book seems more like it should be targeting an adult audience. This looks and reads more like a novelty book or calendar that you'd get for your friend who adores cats.

As a children's book, I'd give this 3 stars. As an adult novelty book, I'd give it 5 stars. So I'll split the difference and go with 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a DRC of this book.

"This whimsical collection of twenty cat-approved life lessons for living your purrfect life is accompanied by gorgeous, lushly detailed paintings.

Miss Marcella Mink and sixty-seven of her favorite feline friends live happily in her big house by the sea. But there was a time when Miss Mink was not so happy. When Miss Mink created her own business -- a feline-friendly cruise company for cat lovers and their furry companions - she found she no longer had time or energy for herself or her friends. For advice she turned to her cats, who always seemed so happy, healthy, well-rounded, well-groomed and well-rested. It was not long before the Cat Countess was feeling shipshape again. Collected here are Miss Mink's twenty cat-approved lessons, from the benefits of a good grooming and an afternoon nap to valuable advice on friendship and diet."

Janet Hill's exquisite artwork is paired with valuable life lessons, even if you don't aspire to be a cat countess. Though who wouldn't aspire to such a wonderful title?

I was so excited to see I had been approved for this title on Netgalley. I immediately had to read through this book twice, well, more actually. Once you go through to admire the artwork and read the life lessons, learned from the cats, of course. Then you go back to ADMIRE the artwork . It is beautiful in an art deco fashion, but it is more than that. And then you leisurely page through and smile because that is what this artist does to you.
Whimsical and brilliant. A feel good book that reminds us to slow down and appreciate what we have and those who support us, no matter where we are.

Oh dear, I think I am going to phone a friend. Just to say hello. And then buy many copies of this in print format to brighten the days of loved ones.

Absolutely delightful!
I have had a crush on Janet Hill’s work for a long time and was so excited to see this book release!

Oh my goodness, I adored this book. It's not necessarily a picture book for the little ones, but older cat-loving kids and grown ups will have fun drinking in the illustrations and imagining Miss Mink's fabulous Art Deco lifestyle. The life lessons are valuable too, and the whole book is just a delight! Love, love, love it and highly recommend.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

The artwork is wonderful and delightful. Very art deco. Love it.

The story itself is a little bit odd. It all happens in the prologue and then the rest of the book gives 20 life lessons... supposedly from cats. While some of the lessons do seem to be from cats (i.e. Take naps! Get lots of sun!), other lessons seem to be from dogs (like chasing after a truck). And then there was the lion... The retired lion made me a little nervous for Miss Mink.

In my opinion, this book will delight adults (more than it will children).

What a beautifully weird and appealing book! I love all the illustrations, and I can hardly wait to buy a stack of printed copies—one for me and a lot of others for a range of my friends. The cats especially are endearing and fascinating!

I might be on a limb for this 4.5/5 star review, but the art was spectacular. I could look at it and enjoy levels and layers for a long, long time. I would be happy to have some of these pages as prints, or can think of friends I would want to gift them to...

The lessons for life were sweet, cat-inspired (mostly), and felt like quality ideas for a healthy life. I liked the one that was essentially about loving others, but don't forget to take care and love yourself a lot too.. that felt very relevant and important, while also being totally cat-like. The art is what makes any of the tips shine, as they are depicted in spot-on interpretations that are elegant, playful, and mysterious. Miss Mink herself is 110% fabulous, and I loved that over the course of the images her character shone through (as well as her wardrobe/ interior design taste!). I'm a Miss Mink fan now, folks.

Anyways. I didn't know what to expect from this one, and it wasn't a straightforward story, just a list of tips with excellent art. That being said, the framework (a middle-aged woman with 60+ cats traveling the world in style) and the interpretations of the tips in conjunction with art were beautifully done. So story book or not, I loved this and I want a copy to flip through when I feel like being lost in a lovely way.