The Cat Way (The 2024 New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books)

The 2024 New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books

An unconventional story about navigating differences and learning to be present.

​When a cat and her human go for walks, the human always decides where they go and what they do. "But what if it were the other way around?" the cat asks one day. So the next time, the human follows the cat. When the cat is in control, she wants to stop more often, and she wants to chase squirrels and climb up trees. Her human finds all these detours ridiculous. But when you walk at a cat's pace, you can see the most amazing things.

Painted in richly saturated colors, The Cat Way explores the strange path to compromise and cooperation. Walking together might take some patience--but it can also lead to the most incredible surprises.

Sara Lundberg is a Stockholm-based illustrator and author who has created over thirty books, including two recipients of Sweden’s August Prize for the best children’s book of the year. In the United States, The Summer of Diving (Triangle Square) was named a New York Times Best Children’s Book, and The Bird in Me Flies (Groundwood) was named a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book. The Cat Way was inspired by Sara’s memories and photos of her cat Sassa, who often joined her family on walks. Follow Sara on Instagram @lundbergskan_sara.

B.J. Woodstein is a writer, editor, and Swedish-to-English translator. Her translations for children include The Book that Did Not Want to Be Read (Simon & Schuster) as well as the previous Sara Lundberg books The Bird in Me Flies (Groundwood) and The Summer of Diving (Triangle Square). A native of Chicago, B.J. currently lives in Norwich, England, where she is a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. Visit her website at bjwoodstein.com.