Kate Funk

I just happened to notice this book at my local library and the title stood out, so I took a peek at it. Quantifying the best cat book ever is impossible, but this book is pretty darn funny. The book's author/creator/photographer designs and makes a huge variety of backdrops and then poses her costumed cat in front of these to create a recognizable scence. Some of the dioramas are something generic, such as a peacock, an owl in a tree, or a clown at a birthday party, while others are very specific, including Frankenstein's monster being chased by an angry mob, Pee-Wee Herman holding snakes in front of a fire, or Willy Wonka sitting in a pasture of candy. What truly sells each one is the cat's face, which is almost always in a sourpuss expression. The detailing of the work - often in bright, cheery colors - contrasted with the cat's deadpan look just cracks me up every time I look at the photographs.

Again, I don't know if I can call this the best ever cat book, but it is a great one for sharing. With no words beyond the introduction, it's super easy to pull this book out and look over the pictures with whoever happens to be nearby (hopefully a fellow cat lover, but anyone with a sense of humor should enjoy this book). I found myself taking a quick break with co-workers to giggle over the pages, as well as laughing at the various costumes with friends and family members. With younger children, I found this was a helpful tool in sparking creativity as the children and I took turns making up imaginative stories to accompany the photographs.

All in all, this is a light, fun book for when you need a break from everyday life dullness or when you are looking for something to lighten the mood after reading darker materials. I highly recommend it for those who love felines and/or those who love to laugh.… (meer)

A very cute book.

I liked that Funk opened by saying that AC is mostly willing to pose in the pictures and explained how she works with him to get the shot (designing sets and costumes that he will tolerate, working with his mood) as opposed to all the people on the Internet who force their pets into ridiculous costumes just for fun.

These pictures are great and the amount of time it took to create them was definitely worth it. I also enjoyed that Funk included some of her sketches and photography of the process (making sets, sewing costumes, those creepy fake arms) to get a behind the scenes kind of feel. Funk has created some very fun and amazing pieces and is a very talented artist.

A very funny book that any cat lover would enjoy.… (meer)