Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A summer job unexpectedly leads to heroic hijinks—with the assistance of many, many cats. Katie wants to go to camp with her friends instead of spending another summer at home in New York City, but money is an obstacle. When Ms. Lang in her building offers Katie a job catsitting, it’s the perfect opportunity to raise camp funds. Katie is surprised to discover Ms. Lang has a whopping 217 cats! These are not normal cats either: They have surprising skills and interests, such as computer hacking and martial arts. Clues lead Katie to wonder if Ms. Lang moonlights as the Mousetress, one of the city’s supervillains…who maybe isn’t such a villain after all. This series opener blends the drama of realistic fiction with the action of superhero stories and ties it all together with a heaping amount of humor. Evolving friendships are a main component, but that plot thread feels left open for resolution in future installments. Animal rights activism forms the core of this story, with rescue of and advocacy for various types of animals in peril. Readers are encouraged to consider who is deemed a hero and why. Colorful, cartoon-style illustrations are eye-catching and playful, and the setting is portrayed in vibrant detail. Katie appears White, Ms. Lang is dark-skinned, and other characters have a range of skin tones and fur colors. A little evil and a whole lotta fun. (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Color by Braden Lamb. To join her two best friends at a pricey sleepaway camp outside of the city, plucky Katie, star of this entertaining graphic novel, puts up a flyer in her apartment building to advertise her entrepreneurial talents and earn some quick cash. Unfortunately, Katie is no match for spry Mr. Quinn, who can carry his own groceries up the stairs, or Mrs. Bell's plants, which require complicated watering instructions. Katie finds her perfect job cat-sitting for Ms. Madeline Lang, who has somehow kept her 217 felines a total secret from the building's snoopy super. These not-so-average cats have varied, impressive skills and intellects that they use to test Katie, so much so that she starts to suspect Ms. Lang might just be a supervillain...but things aren't that simple. Yue's drawing style will remind readers of Raina Telgemeier's work (most recently Guts, rev. 9/19), and the occasional departures from standard paneling keep the visuals feeling fresh. Venable includes a cast of supportive adults who provide Katie with scaffolding to grow out of old friends and into new hobbies that complement her love of animals. This enjoyable book (for which a sequel is promised) will pique the interest of readers who like their masked heroes with a penchant for animal activism. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A summer job unexpectedly leads to heroic hijinkswith the assistance of many, many cats.Katie wants to go to camp with her friends instead of spending another summer at home in New York City, but money is an obstacle. When Ms. Lang in her building offers Katie a job catsitting, its the perfect opportunity to raise camp funds. Katie is surprised to discover Ms. Lang has a whopping 217 cats! These are not normal cats either: They have surprising skills and interests, such as computer hacking and martial arts. Clues lead Katie to wonder if Ms. Lang moonlights as the Mousetress, one of the citys supervillainswho maybe isnt such a villain after all. This series opener blends the drama of realistic fiction with the action of superhero stories and ties it all together with a heaping amount of humor. Evolving friendships are a main component, but that plot thread feels left open for resolution in future installments. Animal rights activism forms the core of this story, with rescue of and advocacy for various types of animals in peril. Readers are encouraged to consider who is deemed a hero and why. Colorful, cartoon-style illustrations are eye-catching and playful, and the setting is portrayed in vibrant detail. Katie appears White, Ms. Lang is dark-skinned, and other characters have a range of skin tones and fur colors. A little evil and a whole lotta fun. (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.