By Kari-Lynn Winters
Illustrated by Kelly Collier
Kids Can Press, 2023
32 pages
9781525305535
Ages 3-7
A farmer’s goodnight to the many cats in her barn has led to some confusion on the part of the donkey who also lives there. Donkey “knew he was a cat because Farmer had said so.” Donkey’s catlike behavior—pouncing, perching in high places, climbing trees, catching mice—does not always come naturally to him. But Donkey knows he’s young and still learning. While Donkey is sitting on Farmer’s lap for a cuddle, Farmer tells him he’s acting like cat. “Obviously,” Donkey thinks. “I AM a cat! A spiffy, strong cat!” Still, when he actively compares his appearance to the rest of the litter, he begins to wonder. It leads to a sleepless night, during which Donkey’s heroic intervention to rescue a hapless wandering kitten from a fox leads to the certainty he’s been searching for. The farmyard identity crisis isn’t an original plotline, but it’s delivered here with an abundance of humor and visual charm. ©2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center