This wonderful author–illustrator partnership has already given us two picture books featuring bad-tempered, cynical characters complaining about their lives: Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems. The eponymous cat in Cat Problems suffers numerous exaggerated indignities that are equally hilarious: from being woken from a 19-hour nap to the kitten that conspires to sleep in all of cat’s favourite places. And what about that horrible monster – the vacuum cleaner? And why is there never any wet food? Dry food is just not good enough for this little lord. Not to mention the boredom of being indoors – it’s just hell being a cat! That is, until cat is given a lecture by a tiny little mouse about just how good its life really is. But will cat listen?

This is a beautifully illustrated, delightful picture book that we can all relate to, whether we have a cat or are just feeling a little frustrated and house-bound ourselves. A great, fun read-aloud for ages 3+.

Angela Crocombe is a children’s and YA specialist for Readings online and the buyer for Readings Kids.