When Martha’s Away
Bruce Ingman

Candlewick Press
February 2011 / ISBN 9780763651350
Children fiction / reissue (Ages 3 and up)
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

First released in 1995, this hilarious picture book dispels the myth that cats do nothing but sleep all day. When Martha leaves the house she has no idea what her pet does all day, but now the truth can be told. This is one very busy kitty!

After reading the paper, exercising, and engaging in a little art project that involves doing a likeness of the neighbor’s comely feline, this indoor kitty spends some time on the phone with his cousin catching up on family gossip.

Then, after a lunch of salmon and milk, he takes a quick snooze before preparing for a piano recital. In the time left before Martha arrives home, there is a window of opportunity to play with some of the child’s toys. When this clever cat hears the key turning in the lock he knows it is time to “assume the pose,” which means he stretches out on the sofa and pretends to be asleep.

When it first appeared this book won a number of awards and was lauded as a potential children’s classic. Its reissue suggests it has achieved that distinction as it has continued to thrill generations of not only children but also adult cat lovers.