My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World by Gilles Bachelet
Yesterday, I read a Very Funny Picture Book. Now, part of why I found it so very funny was because the entire concept was funny-fresh to me, on account of I've never seen its predecessor, My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World. Both books were originally written in French, by author-illustrator Gilles Bachelet, who is fond of absurd situations. Prior books include Le Singe à Buffon, a story claiming that noted French naturalist Buffon had a monkey, and Champignon Bonaparte, which, if my French serves me at all, combines notions of mushrooms with the Napoleonic campaigns, and features (as in the "Silliest Cat" books) a disconnect between the text and the images.
I've read one review that claims that young children will be perplexed as to why the text is about a cat, but the pictures are of elephants. I disagree. I think that kids will positively howl with laughter over the disconnects in this book, which are not limited to the silly adult who insists that an elephant is a cat (although I must say, the illustrations of the litter of cat-colored elephants were some of my favorite, and the tiger-striped elephant made an almost-convincing kitten). The adult also insists that the "cat" adores a stuffed "cat" toy, when the illustrations clearly depict the "cat's" repeated efforts to dispose of its toy.
I think young kids will relate to this on multiple levels: First, with a love of humor and the absurd, and secondly (and maybe more insidiously) from their own frustration with adults, who often misconstrue their desires and intentions and/or override or subvert them, just as the adult "cat" owner in the book does with the toy. Am I reading too much into it? Being a bit too psychobabblish? Maybe. But please have a look at this book before you decide for sure. I'm nearly certain you won't mind if you do!
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