Square Cat

Elizabeth Schoonmaker received her Master of Arts degree from the University at Albany and has exhibited her work in Chicago and New York. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, John. Together they garden, bike, ski, build elephant sculptures and keep bees. Elizabeth has two daughters, Mackenzie and Sayward.

Eula is a square cat that wants to be round. After all, it’s hard to be a quadratic shape—one can’t wear stripes, circle skirts don’t fit and when one falls over it’s nearly impossible to get up. Patsy and Maude, two oval cats, attempt to help their boxy friend with a makeover, but nothing can disguise the self-conscious, four-sided cat. With a change of perspective, the three learn the beauty of being square, and Eula finds contentment. Schoonmaker’s illustrations, done in pale, pastel watercolors with penwork to define shapes, are simple and consistent. They offer a hint of the Southwest: Eula is almost adobe in color, there are primitive shapes and patterns and the stylization of the animals evokes the aesthetic of Native Americans of the region. The artwork is extremely flat and unfortunately lacks dimension or excitement, but it is friendly and accessible. The author’s real strength is in how she juxtaposes the earnestness of the characters with the silliness of the situation. An easygoing entrée to learning about diverse viewpoints and experiences among peers. - KIRKUS, November 15, 2010