Thorina-Bina feels all alone because she’s so different from her mother and sisters. She’s a tortoise-shell colored cat, while the rest of her family are striped tabby cats. She looks and acts differently, and her sisters make fun of her. She also has keen eyes and ears, and sees and hears better than the other cats. After she meets an old gopher tortoise, a lizard without a tail, an armadillo with poor eyesight, and two very different dogs in the forest, she learns that everyone is different in their own way.

This book combines a funny story with adorable animal photos to convey its message of self-acceptance. Kids will learn about different animals, but they will also laugh out loud at the animals’ adventures. Parents and teachers will treasure this book for the message it contains, and kids will love the 21 delightful animal photos. This book has five short chapters, and parents may have to read it to beginning readers.

Teachers can use the story to start discussions about being different, bullying, disabilities, self-respect, self-esteem, and most of all, tolerance for others. Kids may feel more comfortable participating in a discussion about animal differences, instead of differences in kids their own age. In the end, Thorina-Bina learns that it’s okay to be different … she’s just a different kind of cat.