(Primary) In this story set in Japan "long, long ago," young Yohei must take care of his sick father and still sell enough fish to keep them both alive. Despite his own empty stomach, when a wet and hungry white cat shows up at the door, he dries the cat off and shares his food with her. When his father takes a turn for the worse, Yohei's worries multiply: he can't leave his father, but he needs to sell his fish door-to-door. Instead, people begin coming to his house to buy fish, saying that the white cat "waved her paw as if to say, 'Come here,'" and they followed. Soon the cat herself becomes an attraction, and Yohei's lot in life improves; other merchants, wanting their own good-luck cats, begin putting white cat statues in their stores. The sweetly uncomplicated tale (source not given) concludes by telling readers to look for "the beckoning cat perched on the counter" the next time they're in an Asian restaurant. Litzinger combines several media but keeps the pictures very simple, focusing on the colors and shapes rather than on details. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

K-Gr 2-A boy who spends his days selling fish door-to-door finds a wet white cat in the rain. He takes the animal in and offers her food from his own plate even though he doesn't have much to eat. When his father becomes ill, the child can no longer peddle his fish. He is surprised to find that the cat is beckoning customers to his door. Yohei's father gets well, and the boy has so many customers that he opens a shop. On the final spread, the author explains that this is how the beckoning cat became a good-luck symbol in Japan. This charming story is complemented by lovely watercolor, gouache, pencil, and ink illustrations done in soft muted colors and a whimsical style. The cat has pink ears and often smiles. Many readers will delight in this story of kindness and generosity rewarded.-Mari Pongkhamsing, St. Perpetua School, Lafayette, CA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Nishizuka's engaging debut recounts a folktale about a good-luck symbol in Japan. Young Yohei lives by the sea with his sick father, eking out a meager income by selling fish door-to-door. When a wet cat appears at their door, he welcomes her and, despite his own hunger, shares his modest dinner. Soon after, his father grows too sick to be left alone, and Yohei despairs: how can he sell fish and still care for him? Buyers begin appearing as if by magic, lured by a beckoning white cat. "She's calling customers on your behalf!" one client declares. "I have never heard of a cat repaying a kindness." The father recovers, the boy prospers and the "beckoning cat" becomes a popular symbol for merchants. Litzinger's (The Animals Watched) full-bleed pictures-a highly tactile mix of watercolor, colored pencil, ink and gouache-combine comfortably rounded, stylized forms and a gently shaded palette to evoke a contemplative mood. As the story progresses, the cat-not realistically drawn to begin with-increasingly resembles its real-life porcelain incarnations, seated, with an oversize head, its right front paw raised in greeting. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

This charming retelling of a Japanese folktale explains the good-luck symbolism behind the waving white cat, whom kids may recognize in the ubiquitous white statues that sit with paws raised on business counters. Young Yohei, a poor, hardworking door-to-door fish monger, finds his life transformed after a muddy white cat comes begging. Yohei shares his meager dinner with the feline visitor, and the next day he is astonished when customers begin to come straight to him. The reason, he soon discovers, is the grateful white cat, who lures people to Yohei's door with his beckoning paw and stays on to help Yohei create a prosperous fish business. In her children's book debut, Nishizuka writes in captivating, simple, easily paced language that is well suited for storytime, as are Litzinger's watercolor, pencil, and gouache pictures. In petal-soft shades and textures, the uncluttered compositions feature appealingly rounded, expressive figures, and children will enjoy following, and then talking about, the mysterious, prominently placed green-eyed cat to the book's happy conclusion.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist

A fetching feline rewards an act of kindness in this fresh rendition of a Japanese folktale. Yohei, a poor boy who sells fish door-to-door, works hard to buy medicine for his sick father. One rainy night a white cat appears at his door. Yohei dries her and shares his meager meal. While Yohei wonders how he can sell fish and still care for his father, villagers start arriving at his home to buy fish saying they followed the white cat who beckoned them with her paw. People come from afar to see Yohei's cat, and soon his father improves, his business prospers and the beckoning white cat becomes a symbol of good luck in Japan. Naf illustrations rendered in watercolor, colored pencil and gouache rely on simple, rounded shapes and pastel hues and feature Yohei and his cat in tableaux capturing the bygone innocence of rural Japan. Appropriately, a winsome and wise white cat beckons from various angles and poses, drawing readers from page to page just as she cleverly lures customers to Yohei's door. A beguiling tale. (Picture book/folktale. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.