Scamp

Here is a sweet book for February—and every month of the year besides. This heartwarming celebration of the friendship between a baby on the cusp of becoming a toddler and her beloved feline marks the debut of talented author-illustrator Anden Wilder. Scamp begins quite simply: “Scamp’s house had two cats: one black and one pink.” The text appears opposite the illustration of a plump black cat named Hector and a baby called Scamp in bright pink striped pajamas, the two sitting side by side. Scamp’s perky black pigtails do make her look like a cat, as does her ability to mirror Hector. Baby and feline stick out their tongues, lick themselves, claw at the couch and cuddle close. However, much to Scamp’s surprise, one morning she discovers she can stand up in her crib. Later, she pulls herself up to stand on two feet beside the coffee table. The wonders continue: At dinner, Scamp picks up her spoon! “Scamp was pretty sure cats didn’t hold spoons.” Scamp ends the day enjoying her bath as her perplexed companion looks on. One of the special delights of the story is the complete absence of adults: Scamp and Hector are alone in their world. After this exhausting day, the two curl up in Hector’s cat bed. But Scamp later awakens to find Hector gone. After a fruitless search, she uses her newfound abilities to climb onto the couch and gaze out the window. And there is Hector, about to be caught in a rainstorm! Knowing that cats hate the rain, brave Scamp finds an inventive solution, and soon she and Hector are united once more. In the end, Scamp knows that while human, she still can play at being a cat whenever she wants—and she’ll always be a cat person at heart. Wilder’s delightful text pairs perfectly with illustrations done in gouache, watercolor and colored pencils. Hector and Scamp, rendered in similar poses, grace hot pink endpapers. With its subtle humor and whiff of nostalgia about the inevitable passage of time, Scamp is likely to be kept on the shelf for years to come.