Cover Image: Cat's First Baby

Cat's First Baby

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

We love this book in our shop. It consistently sells out as a gift for a new baby. The illustrations are bright, show great diversity and are aesthetically pleasing.

Was this review helpful?

Cat's First Baby, a charming picture book by Natalie Nelson, highlights the cat's fascination with the new baby in the home. I was astounded by the idea. It's sweet and funny. As a new mother, I've been attempting to compile a list of books for my little one to read, and this one will undoubtedly be on it.

It’s simply adorable. Highy recommended, especially for young parents who have pets.

Was this review helpful?

Give this board book to anyone with cats and a new baby at home - it is sure to please! I think parents will get more out of this humorous board book than babies will, but it will be a fun family read that will have grown-ups giggling, and babies watching in delight.

Was this review helpful?

As someone who has both a cat and a baby at the moment, I can attest that this book is a perfect gift for new parents who already have cat babies.

Was this review helpful?

The illustrations are unique and it’s an interesting concept for a book. Almost reminiscent of the books a parent might read to a child to prepare for a new baby joining the family. However, cats won’t understand this book, so it’s not meant to help cats adjust to new babies and I’m just not sure children would find it engaging. I think this would be more of a book for cat-loving parents rather than children.

Was this review helpful?

Well isn't this little book rather special. The first thing that strikes you are the incredible images. I love that they are a mixed media composition using a range of traditional and digital techniques. The images are bold and vivid yet with a warm, tender and familiar feel. There's real depth to Natalie's work and her images draw you in as a reader.

The text font and sentences are perfectly simple. The book is written from the perspective of the cat. It's direct yet humorous. However, you get a joyous feeling of 'to and fro' in the dialogue as the cat sizes up the new baby that has arrived in their home.

It's a highly recommend from me. The publishers, Quirk Books, give the reading age guide as 2-5 but I'd be happy to share this book from birth. My daughter who's 5 thoroughly enjoyed it and liked that she was able to read the sentences herself.

Was this review helpful?

A new addition to the family has arrived home and right away cat's curiosity peaks and he says,

"Hello!
I am a cat.
Are you a cat?"

Cat checks the new baby out very carefully trying to distinguish if they both may share the same species. He discovers the newcomer doesn't look like a cat, doesn't meow, doesn't smell like a feline, or even have a tail. Oh my, what can this alien creature be?

Undaunted Cat continues his investigation and observes that both of them enjoy a good nap, have snack time together, and take luxurious baths, just to name a few similarities. Ultimately Cat deduces that although the new member of the family definitely isn't a cat, the newborn baby is very likeable gets his approval to stay... paws down!

The illustrations are bold, colourful and eye-catching and the language is simple and expressive. This board book is sure to be read again and again and I highly recommend it for parents of young children as well as placing it in a classroom situation, a daycare or library. There is a companion book available titled, "Dog's First Baby." I highly recommend BOTH books for your little ones.

Was this review helpful?

Following my disappointing experience with "Collecting Cats", I needed a picture book about cats that made me happy. Given my broody-for-human-kids state, this book was perfect, and I'll be buying the physical copy asap! I love that the human characters are POC - because representation matters - and that the cat in the book is BLUE! I also love the quintessential cat facial expressions - they are delightful and relatable to any cat-lover.

Was this review helpful?

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is an adorable book for young readers. It is told from the cat’s perspective when a new and unusual creature invades his domain. While he is suspect at first because this baby is like nothing he has encountered before, the two form a bond and become fast friends. And you know this is going to be a friendship that will last a lifetime.

Filled with cute pictures and easy text, it could be a picture book read to the young children or as an early reader once the child has mastered the skills. Four purrs and two paws up.

Was this review helpful?

Yet again, Natalie Nelson has knocked it out of the park with Cat’s First Baby which is a must-read for any cat loving family. It’s funny, charming, simple text and lovely illustrations are sure to capture not only parent’s attention but baby’s as well!

Was this review helpful?

A beautifully illustrated story.

Working with animals, I know that kids and animals can be difficult. This story issues great one for small children to understand.

However, what I really loved most was the minority representation in the pictures. So often pet story books are white washed.

This book would make the perfect gift for an animal loving child.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely adorable book! This book follows a cat who is curious about the new baby living in his home. They find commonalities and bond. The pictures are beautiful and vibrant. Toddlers will love this one!

Thank you Quirk Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this sweet board book about a cat who is getting to know his first baby. The illustrations and text work together perfectly. Baby and cat are both the same…and different. Will cat come to like baby? Take a look to find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Lovely book! As a cat lover, I admire the cat's personality and the relationship between the baby and the cat. Every family with a cat and a baby need this!

Was this review helpful?

Delightful! Perfect for a storytime with toddlers or a lapsit with a loved one. Older kids will get the humor of a cat trying to figure out what a baby is. Mixed media illustrations compliment the simple text. The family is drawn with dark brown skin. A must have for library toddler collections.

Was this review helpful?

Review to come to blog/goodreads/etc.. on March 18th.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I read the Dog's First Baby book in 2021 and thought it was high time to also read Cat's First Baby since I so enjoyed the Dog's book! I just had to know what was happening in the cat one!

In this book a cute cat meets the newest addition to the family, the baby! We see the cat make sense of what this new addition is, see it asking if the baby is potentially a cat? But then again, it doesn't look like it! It doesn't smell or sound like it (which I found hilarious). I loved that the cat found out some things that were the same. Like cruising in a box, or nap time, and, just like any book about babies and cats (and also dogs), tails are very fascinating. I had such a laugh when they both plotted a trick. And then the ending came, with the cats conclusion and something very adorable that made me say aww!

I love that this book is a lot the same like the dog book but also so vastly different. The author really manages to capture both the animals in their way. The dog a bit more affectionate and enthusiastic, the cat a bit more standoffish but loving in his own way. It was great fun! And I just adored seeing the babies together with their pets. See them bond. Learn how to be together.

The art was once again very cute and I love the style.

All in all, this book was just as cute as the dog one and I think these two books will be very loved! I would recommend both of them~

Was this review helpful?

I love this book. It really shows the sassy attitude of a cat. It’s her world the baby is just living in it!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author, illustrator, NetGalley, and the publisher for a copy of this children's book in exchange for honest feedback. I'm approaching this book as a multi-cat owner and cat lover. I also have recently a new baby addition to our family. So, I'm a bit familiar with pets getting acquainted with new family additions, changes in schedule/surroundings, etc. Right away, I thought the book looked really cute and the title made me laugh. You usually see "baby's first ____" so it's funny to see the role switch. The illustrations are really cute and the story follows the cat getting acquainted with the new baby in the family. The "you don't smell like a cat" page made me literally laugh out loud. It was really cute. Despite differences, one sees that they also have similarities like they both love to nap! I absolutely loved this book and thought it was super sweet.

Was this review helpful?

There's a new member of Cat's family. It's small, but it doesn't look like a cat. It doesn't smell like a cat. It doesn't sound like a cat. But, as they get to know each other, they find they have a lot in common and a lot to appreciate in each other.

This is such a sweet, fun book that will definitely be a hit with toddlers and pre-schoolers! The language is simple but expressive and the pictures are bold and eye-catching. This could definitely become an oft-repeated favorite and would be a great purchase for pre-K classroom libraries.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Was this review helpful?

This was a very cute story about a new baby entering the family from a cat's perspective. Cat loving families will enjoy!

Was this review helpful?