My Lazy Cat by Christine Roussey

What did you do today?

I think picture book authors and illustrators walk a fine line when they create a picture book with "a message". This is not a new trend but the topic of mindfulness is new and so many picture books have jumped on this popular bandwagon. I do agree we all need to slow down, we all need to stop and see the tiny things around us, we all need moments of stillness but I don't need a picture book that lectures me, or a child, about this.

My Lazy Cat works because, for me, the message (I guess there is one) is delivered with humour. This book truly made me smile.

I should have known something was up with this little girl when I read:

"I don't have a minute to waste. I have judo, swimming, yoga, painting, and pottery. Knitting, soccer and biking with my friends. I have a full day and I can't be late."

Boomer the cat is huge. His days are slow.

He's a slug,
a sloth,
a slacker.
A lounger,
a loafer,
a lazybones.
He snoozes and slumbers, dozes and drowses. No one does it better.

Luckily one day the little girl is forced to slow down and see the world as Boomer sees it. She trips over him in her rush and this is where the story becomes interesting or could lead to an interesting discussion. How will she react? Anger, impatience, frustration or perhaps she can just laugh?

My favourite page shows them both lying on the grass watching the clouds. I would be great to compare this with the illustrations by Kazuo Niizaka from the book Clouds by Peggy Blakeley.

I picked this book out in the public library the other day because it is a translated book. It was originally written in French with the title 'Mon Chat Boudin'.

Christine Roussey is the illustrator of a number of very special books especially the series by Jo Witek. You can see some below. I will try to find My Stinky Dog, which looks like a companion volume to My Lazy Cat, and share it with you here soon.

Kirkus says My Lazy Cat "presents a portrait of a friendship and a celebration of slowing down. Her goofy, bright illustrations are childlike in their simplicity but full of details to search through during a quiet read."

Kids' Book Review says: "The message Roussey gives readers in her story My Lazy Cat is profound. She reminds us of the importance of making time in our over busy lives to have fun doing 'lazy things' with the ones that we love. During this slow time we are able to be more mindful about our environment and what our body and soul really needs."