So this book was ok. What started out as a cute cat read became annoying a few pages in, and while I get the idea of not just giving someone empty constant praise (that they don't necessarily deserve I might add) Fiona was no longer cute but rather entitled and downright bratty. In the end she sees her people do appreciate her, but she's still way too sassy for my taste. Not really a great example for kids to be reading.

The illustrations were neatly done though, and had a watercolor quality to them that I liked. I loved the cover on this book too.

The only other thing I'd mention content wise is a little girl's shorts were a bit too short in one picture.
Otherwise the art was cute and eye-catching. :)

I honestly don't recommend this read, because I could see kids picking up an attitude from this cat.

Thanks to the publisher 4U2B Books & Media
for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.

Fiona loves her family, but today it doesn’t feel like her family loves her back. Sure, they’re saying nice things—but they seem distracted, vague, and even a little dismissive. Some of their compliments come across as more demeaning than supportive. What Fiona really wants is specific praise, the kind that shows someone has truly noticed and appreciated her. And honestly, isn’t that what we all want? This sweet story is a gentle reminder of the power of meaningful words. Give it a read—you might just learn something from Fiona.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Fiona is an incredible cat who live with a wonderful family. I like this book because Fiona's point of view is interesting but in the end there an incredible plot twist, perfect for children.

The illustrations are beautiful and look colored with crayons.

This is a very cute story that is perfect for teaching kids that compliments should be more than just about looks, but about skills, morals, and personality traits.

Well there won't be much peculiar praise from me where this is concerned – it was fine, but no great shakes. A cat declares herself misunderstood, as all the clever, adventurous and sporty things she does end up with her praised along the lines of her being "lovely," "cute" and so on. She wants to be known more for her brains and guts. I mean we can all hope for some utopia where we are not judged on our looks before anything else, but at least the cat gets praise, for very feline things like being inappropriate, presenting hunted mice, and so on.

Like I say, this raises a reasonable point, and is not unattractive to look at, but there you go – you have to consider looks in many things, from moggies to picture books. Three stars – I feel there was a savvier version of this somewhere.

Adorable little take on a cat named Fiona. Not at all pretentious but very sweet and loving to her family. Children will love this story of her during her daily routine around her home. An easy read for young children. The graphics are quite lovely. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

ARC Review: Fiona and The Peculiar Praise

Writer: Rennie Dyball
Illustrator: Maine Diaz

Publisher: 4U2B Books and Media

Publishing Date: 13th of May, already published!

Fiona is a cat beyond the nicknames she is called such as Beauty, Cute and Pretty.
She has emotions and thoughts, just like her humans. And Fiona wants to be praised with the titles she deserves with her actions.

It was a very beautiful read –Even though Fiona doesn't like to be called pretty, I guess I can still call books pretty, because they are not cats!

I would recommend it as an early read 📚

🌟 10/10


Thanks to NetGalley and 4U2B Books and Media for the ARC.

Okay, so Fiona the cat may be a little bit of a diva. LOL. When her people call her such words as gorgeous and lovely, she at first takes offense to it because she’d rather they recognize and celebrate the things she does, like “catching mice”. It isn’t until the end that she realizes they truly do SEE her for more than just her beauty. This is a really cute story with lovely graphics that are very eye-catching. I would recommend it to everyone.

I was nanny for a long time and I noticed that the only thing the little girl I watched was complimented for was how cute she was. It bothered me so I started complimenting her for being brave, trying new things, and even getting things wrong, because it meant she was learning new things.

I very much appreciated this book for making more people aware that everyone needs to be appreciated for the things that they ARE and not just for the way that they look.

Recommend-O-Meter: Yes!

Listen, I saw a cat on the cover and that was all the convincing I needed to read this. But I was so pleasantly impressed with the message being presented here. Definitely a great way to show young girls that they should value themselves not just for looks!

Plus, the illustrations were gorgeous. Fiona especially was so lovingly drawn.

This was an adorable book. Both I and my seven-year-old daughter enjoyed it. She thought the illustrations were very cute and liked how well they showed Fiona's feelings. She laughed at many points during the book while reading about Fiona's antics and had little trouble reading it out loud on her own. As her mom, I liked the message behind this book, that someone, even a fluffy kitty, are more than just their looks and that beauty isn't everything. This is a great book to read together as a family with enjoyable illustrations that make it great for all ages.

Honestly it was super cute and my kids adored it. I love the illustrations and I look forward to more works from this author in the future. Who doesn't love of a good kitty cat tale.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review. I promise my review is 100% accurate to me.

A great reminder that there is more to a person (or cat) then the outer appearance. Fun book

Review coming soon! Can’t wait to read this one. I can’t already tell it’s gonna be great especially with the illustrations.

First, the illustrations are stunning, many of my students draw in this style and would be drawn in so quickly. The little bubbles gave me anime vibes. The cats facial expressions had me laughing aloud!

Second, this is such a poignant message and presented so thoughtfully while being hilarious! It is an important lesson for children but also a good reminder (or maybe lesson) for adults. I will be purchasing this book for my niece but also as an anchor text for my 5/6 class as a means to begin a conversation about why compliments about someones look can be problematic/unwelcome.

Such a cute book. I loved it!! The illustrations of the cat and also overall were super cute and fun!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much that I would go out and immediately buy a copy of this if my kid was still young (they are twenty). As it is, I am going to suggest it to a couple of people I know who have kids and one who teaches early education.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I love this book. Fiona is a beautiful kitty. There is no doubt but she is frustrated when all the praises she receives are for her looks. Throughout the day she performs numerous tasks for her humans, such as waking her mother up and catching mice- although she always lets them go too. She becomes increasingly angry until her little girl finally acknowledges what the adults seem to miss. She is beautiful but she is also smart. When Lou, the little girl, explains to her parents why she says this, Fiona becomes happier.

This is an adorable story about how humans underestimate us felines and only think about the superficial. It is augmented by some delightful artwork. And it reminds us not to take something for granted by just looking at the obvious. Especially kitties. Five purrs and two paws up.

This was a sweet book with such an important message! The illustrations are captivating and the story was easy to follow for young children. Definitely recommend!

How absolutely adorable! A kitten with a penchant for hating shallow praise? A moral parable wrapped up in cuteness.