Publisher's Weekly Review
Like all feline fans, a young cat owner can't get enough of a self-possessed pet's quirky ways in this book. From morning to night, the white, black-haired child sings the praises of feline Atticus in Maizes's (Once upon a Buzzbee) thoroughly authentic combination of epithet and rhyme. In phrases rendered for maximum expressiveness in a mix of typography and handwriting, the kid begins with "Atticus. Cat-icus. Rat-a-tat-tat-ticus," first beating time on a box drum, then marveling at how the cat "yawns with his whole head." Atticus has mischievous yellow eyes and black ears ("like a bat-tat-ticus"), rendered in digital art by debut illustrator Kramer, that resembles collaged paper, crayon, and tempera paints--the sort of art supplies a child would have on hand to make an extended cat valentine. And Atticus proves himself a worthy object of adoration; in fact, he's a performative puss nonpareil, zooming through the house, pouncing on a toy, and chittering to a bright red bird on the window's other side. Could Atticus be a little more reciprocal in affection? Perhaps. But he does let the child scritch his "tummy so fat-ticus!" And in cat terms, there's really no greater gift. Ages 3--7. Author's agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. Illustrator's agent: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Red Fox Literary. (May)
Kirkus Review
What a splendid cat(icus) is Atticus. A beige-skinned kid with dark hair plays a cardboard drum to wake the sleepy feline: "Rat-a-tat-tat-ticus." After a stretch and a hunch, Atticus "yawns with his whole head." As the day continues, the text unfolds in a pattern, an abcb-rhyming stanza and then an exclamation that plays with the sounds in Atticus Caticus. The rattle of his food box calls Atticus to the kitchen. "He gobbles his food / without any delay, / then drinks from my glass / while I'm looking away. Atticus Caticus, / tummy so fat-ticus!" Then it's time for lying in a sunbeam, when he becomes "Atticus Caticus, / flat-a-tat-tat-ticus." Child and Atticus chat with a bird and play with a string, and Atticus stages a toe ambush. At the end of the day, "I get in the tub and / he comes to get clean. / He licks and he licks-- / he's a licking machine. / Atticus Caticus / bathes on a bath mat-ticus." Then it's to bed, where Atticus sleeps on his kid's head (after some blanket kneading). Kramer's energetic illustrations have the look of scribbly colored pencil over block-printed background patterns. Their bright and silly expressiveness is an excellent match for Maizes' rollicking text, which should make for many enjoyable read-alouds. Tongue-twister--y fun celebrating the joys of being owned by a cat. (Picture book. 2-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.