A little girl declares herself a witch's cat in this charming picture-book from British author/illustrator Harriet Muncaster, casting her loving mother as the witch. Given the "potions" her mother keeps in the bathroom, the odd things she buys at the store, and the cackling she does when her friends come over, the girl's idea that her mother is a witch - a good witch of course! - is not so wild. Perpetually clothed in a cat suit, the little girl acts out her own role throughout. The conclusion of the book - or, at least, the concluding illustration - raises the possibility that the girl/cat has not been imagining things...

As someone who loves witchy picture-books, I have been meaning to pick up I Am a Witch's Cat and its sequel (Happy Halloween, Witch's Cat) for some time now. I am glad that I did, as I found the story quite cute. I liked the tongue-in-cheek aspect here, how the narrative encourages the reader to think that the little girl is simply imagining that her mother is a witch, only to call that impression into question with the final illustration, which depicts the mother flying through the air on her broom. Of course, that too could be the daughter's imagining. The mixed media artwork here, created using scenes that are made with fabric, watercolor, and pen and ink, and then photographed, was highly interesting. That said, I'm not sure it was entirely to my taste - in fact, I usually find such illustrations flat and creepy, rather than cute. Of course, given the subject matter, maybe creepy is appropriate. Tastes vary, and some readers will undoubtedly appreciate Muncaster's artwork more than I did. It is to them, and to readers who enjoy witchy picture-books, that I would recommend this one. ( )

Adult Reader Reaction: The mixed media illustrations are great. I love the way the author combines a 'paper' character with miniature creations. They're fun to look at and add dimension to the story (no pun intended). I have mixed feelings about the story, though. There is a lot to like, particularly the little girl’s imagination. Kids will enjoy figuring out the things the young girl describes as "witchcraft." I also liked the ending where the little girl explains to readers that even when she has a babysitter her Mom is always her mom. The last image, though, took away from the story as a whole.

Pros: Readers looking for a unique twist on a Halloween-ish story will enjoy our young narrator’s imaginative tale.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.