Brian Lies's visual delight Cat Nap is a feline-fueled romp through 10 masterpieces of art history, all lovingly re-created by hand. The story opens in a late-afternoon living room where a sleepy gray kitten stirs. When a mouse darts by, Kitten leaps after it into a Metropolitan Museum of Art poster, and the chase begins--through time, culture, and media.
Caldecott Honor winner Lies (Little Bat in Night School) opens with soft alliteration--"Late light lies, warm, over sofa, Kitten, book"--setting a lyrical tone. As Kitten bounds after the mouse, they tumble through artworks from diverse cultures and eras: an ancient Egyptian limestone carving, a 14th-century illuminated manuscript, a Japanese ink drawing, and more. In each piece, the chase adapts to the aesthetic, subject matter, and mood of the work. Lies's palette shifts to match the original works: filling the pages with the saturated blues, reds, and green of stained glass, circa 1497, or the earthy tones of a ceramic dog from the Remojadas culture in the early 8th century. The 3D nature of the illustrations, crafted from materials like clay, paper, glass, and much more, gives many pages a tactile, museum-like feel.
But this isn't just an artistic showcase. Lies also brings readers a heartfelt adventure. When Kitten gets separated from the mouse and becomes lost in the museum-like world, an Italian panel painting of St. Anthony of Padua gently points Kitten toward home. Extensive back matter identifies each artwork, its origin, and medium and includes notes from Lies about the creative process. With its lyrical text, handcrafted visuals, and journey through global artistic traditions, Cat Nap is a feast for the eyes and imagination. --Julie Danielson