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Katie the Catsitter #1
Katie the Catsitter
A new middle-grade graphic novel series about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats!).
Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting.
First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain?
Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who's this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats!
Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting.
First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain?
Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who's this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats!
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2021
284 people are currently reading
2714 people want to read
About the author
Colleen A.F. Venable
51 books437 followersYou might know me from such films as "Colleen's Fourth Birthday Party" and "Colleen Falls Down Over and Over Again While Ice Skating."
Fun facts!
-I have a huge connect-the-dots tattoo.
-I accidentally started an international holiday.
(See National Pancake Day or Lumberjack Day, every Sept 26)
-I once sang back-up on an album nominated for the Polka Grammy.
-I can't sing.
-When I was 18, I broke a national coed jump-rope record.
My debut YA graphic novel Kiss Number 8 was a National Book Award Longlist title, an Eisner nominee, and a Prism award finalist.
My graphic novel series Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye (illustrated by Stephanie Yue) was nominated for an Eisner for Best Publication for Kids and awarded “Best Book” recognition from Kirkus Reviews, NYPL, Bank Street, and the Junior Library Guild.
I grew up in the trees of Walden, New York….well, not very high up the trees, since I always got scared, but I did carve my name in a lot of low hanging boughs. I had an older sister, a dog, a cat, a million fish, and an imaginary pet hamster named, yup you guessed it, Hamisher. Why have an imaginary friend when you can have an imaginary friend that can fit in your pocket!
I went to Wagner College and double majored in English and Studio Art, winning the award of “biggest dork” (aka first in my class)
I love graphic novels more than I love having feet and I really do love having feet. They keep my shoes on.
Pssst My name is actually spelled Colleen AF Venable. No punctuation. My birth name was Colleen Ann Venable, but in 1994 I asked to change my middle name to Felicity, because that's the sort of thing you do when you are 14. So I started to go by Colleen AF...mostly because I was bad at typing periods. The internet either ruined my name or made it SO MUCH COOLER. You can decide.
Fun facts!
-I have a huge connect-the-dots tattoo.
-I accidentally started an international holiday.
(See National Pancake Day or Lumberjack Day, every Sept 26)
-I once sang back-up on an album nominated for the Polka Grammy.
-I can't sing.
-When I was 18, I broke a national coed jump-rope record.
My debut YA graphic novel Kiss Number 8 was a National Book Award Longlist title, an Eisner nominee, and a Prism award finalist.
My graphic novel series Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye (illustrated by Stephanie Yue) was nominated for an Eisner for Best Publication for Kids and awarded “Best Book” recognition from Kirkus Reviews, NYPL, Bank Street, and the Junior Library Guild.
I grew up in the trees of Walden, New York….well, not very high up the trees, since I always got scared, but I did carve my name in a lot of low hanging boughs. I had an older sister, a dog, a cat, a million fish, and an imaginary pet hamster named, yup you guessed it, Hamisher. Why have an imaginary friend when you can have an imaginary friend that can fit in your pocket!
I went to Wagner College and double majored in English and Studio Art, winning the award of “biggest dork” (aka first in my class)
I love graphic novels more than I love having feet and I really do love having feet. They keep my shoes on.
Pssst My name is actually spelled Colleen AF Venable. No punctuation. My birth name was Colleen Ann Venable, but in 1994 I asked to change my middle name to Felicity, because that's the sort of thing you do when you are 14. So I started to go by Colleen AF...mostly because I was bad at typing periods. The internet either ruined my name or made it SO MUCH COOLER. You can decide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 682 reviews
December 22, 2024
My son picked this up on a whim so I read it first to check it was safe for him. Not only am I now begging him to read it so we can laugh about the funny parts together, it’s SO WELL DONE and SO WHOLESOME. This is one of the best graphic novels I’ve read, and no it’s not just because I love cats.
January 21, 2021
It must be so comforting to be a comic loving kid these days. I remember just ten years ago when I ran a children’s book club and one of the kids would come in every week, eyes brimming with hope, asking if there were any new comics in that week. Nine times out of ten the answer was always, “Nope.” Of course there weren’t. Though Raina Telgemeier had come to prominence and Diary of a Wimpy Kid was already garnering fans, neither had hit the apex of their popularity quite yet. As a long time comics fan, I would seek out whatever graphic novels I could find for my children’s room, but somehow it just was never enough. The curse of the comic is that it can take an inordinate amount of time to make, and almost no time at all to read. But today? At long last, publishers of children’s books have gotten the message. They try to glut the market with offerings and fail because the market for comics is un-gluttable. Even so, there’s a lot of whey to separate from the curds, and for every 15 comics I see, maybe one will be memorable. Katie the Catsitter? Color that one of the few. Created by the crackerjack team of Venable and Yue, this daring duo introduces the world to small, furry New York City superheroes and the catsitter that gets caught up in the action.
What’s worse than not being able to afford summer camp? Watching your friends go instead. Katie is sad beyond words when her best friend Bethany is heading out for the summer while she’s stuck home in NYC. Determined to do something about it, Katie decides to advertise her skills at odd jobs (for a price) in her apartment complex so as earn money for at least a week of camp. Most of her hires don’t go well until nice Ms. Lang in Apartment 5B hires Katie for $30 an hour to watch her cats. A dream job? Maybe. Until you realize Ms. Lang owns 217 cats and that they all are mad geniuses at something. But Katie’s good with cats, even couch-stealing, jet engine shopping, pizza loving cats. It isn’t until she starts paying attention that Katie begins to suspect that there’s more to Ms. Lang than initially meets the eye. And it may explain why she secretly goes out every night . . .
Remember when I was telling you about that kid in my book group that kept asking for new children’s books a decade ago? You know that I was able to hand them? Hamster and Cheese, an adorable early comic series about a guinea pig in a pet store who becomes a P.I. Who created said adorable early comic series? That would be none other than the highly talented and immoderately modest Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue, of course! Even back in 2010 you knew you were in the presence of some pretty keen talent. I mean, no one makes oblique Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH references in their comics (“The lee of the stone!”) without charming at least a few parents and librarians. From that moment, Venable & Yue realized they made a good team. Venable keeps the jokes coming on a regular basis, but strategizes when and where those jokes should go. Yue, meanwhile, has a gift for sight gags that serves her well. Together, this full-color beauty does a stand up and cheer job of doling out the action and the emotional beats in perfect syncopation.
This book hits its jokes hard and with pinpoint accuracy, which is a treat, but the treatment of the more serious elements is a bit more touch and go. The animal rights aspect to the story is necessary for the plot, but this book isn’t trying to convert anyone. Less effective, to my mind, was Katie’s freakout when her friend writes a late postcard and signs it “Beth” instead of “Bethany”. You get the necessity of the freakout in terms of the emotional arc of the story, but it didn’t feel earned. There was one particular aspect of Katie the Catsitter that worked far better for me. The book has a more honest and open approach to economic injustice that I usually see in titles like this. At one point, Katie and her mom have been saving up money for at least a week of camp, but when they check the price they see that without the early bird discount it carries the hefty price tag of $3,500 a week. That may strike some folks around the country as high, but for a NYC kid in 2021, it's refreshingly honest. So often, books fudge the costs of things when they say that they’re expensive. Venable prefers to deal in straight numbers. Ms. Lang pays Katie $30 an hour for 6 hours a night, which may inspire some kids to do the math to figure out how often Katie will need to catsit to hit her funding goal. And I didn’t find Katie’s dilemma peculiar at all. In New York City, kids of different economic strata often become friends. But when push comes to shove and summer camp calls, those financial differences are brought glaringly into the light.
A word or two on the art. Yue’s style complements Venable’s tone to a tee. It’s reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier’s or Lucy Knisley’s but distinctive in its own right. Plus, and I cannot stress this enough, Yue appears to go the extra mile. I mean, there are 201 legible cats and their special skills drawn AND named at the end of this book. Considering that Ms. Lang has 217 cats in total, I half wondered as I counted whether or not Venable & Yue would go over the count. Staring at these names and cats yields some nice surprises too. My own personal favorites include Tesla, whose special skill is “giving ideas away” and Mr. Aaron Purr Sir who is good at “duels”. I’m still working out the logistics behind Paw Simon’s talent as “splitting up team” and whether or not Izzy (“comedy historian”) is an Eddie Izzard reference. I also suspect that there may be some cat cameos from friend and family cats making their way onto those sheets, to say nothing of the occasional agent. I mean, how could you resist? 201 cats don't write and draw themselves!
Read a lot of comics for kids and you begin to get really picky. You start relying on instincts alone to rustle up the comics that will get kids the most excited. So there’s no exact reason why I like Katie the Catsitter better than a lot of other comics on the market. It just happens to have that combination of humor, humanity, and darn good art that makes magic. For the superhero fans, the Telgemeier fans, the fans of the funny, and the kids that will devour any comic that falls within their grasp. So, y’know. Everyone.
For ages 7-12
What’s worse than not being able to afford summer camp? Watching your friends go instead. Katie is sad beyond words when her best friend Bethany is heading out for the summer while she’s stuck home in NYC. Determined to do something about it, Katie decides to advertise her skills at odd jobs (for a price) in her apartment complex so as earn money for at least a week of camp. Most of her hires don’t go well until nice Ms. Lang in Apartment 5B hires Katie for $30 an hour to watch her cats. A dream job? Maybe. Until you realize Ms. Lang owns 217 cats and that they all are mad geniuses at something. But Katie’s good with cats, even couch-stealing, jet engine shopping, pizza loving cats. It isn’t until she starts paying attention that Katie begins to suspect that there’s more to Ms. Lang than initially meets the eye. And it may explain why she secretly goes out every night . . .
Remember when I was telling you about that kid in my book group that kept asking for new children’s books a decade ago? You know that I was able to hand them? Hamster and Cheese, an adorable early comic series about a guinea pig in a pet store who becomes a P.I. Who created said adorable early comic series? That would be none other than the highly talented and immoderately modest Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue, of course! Even back in 2010 you knew you were in the presence of some pretty keen talent. I mean, no one makes oblique Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH references in their comics (“The lee of the stone!”) without charming at least a few parents and librarians. From that moment, Venable & Yue realized they made a good team. Venable keeps the jokes coming on a regular basis, but strategizes when and where those jokes should go. Yue, meanwhile, has a gift for sight gags that serves her well. Together, this full-color beauty does a stand up and cheer job of doling out the action and the emotional beats in perfect syncopation.
This book hits its jokes hard and with pinpoint accuracy, which is a treat, but the treatment of the more serious elements is a bit more touch and go. The animal rights aspect to the story is necessary for the plot, but this book isn’t trying to convert anyone. Less effective, to my mind, was Katie’s freakout when her friend writes a late postcard and signs it “Beth” instead of “Bethany”. You get the necessity of the freakout in terms of the emotional arc of the story, but it didn’t feel earned. There was one particular aspect of Katie the Catsitter that worked far better for me. The book has a more honest and open approach to economic injustice that I usually see in titles like this. At one point, Katie and her mom have been saving up money for at least a week of camp, but when they check the price they see that without the early bird discount it carries the hefty price tag of $3,500 a week. That may strike some folks around the country as high, but for a NYC kid in 2021, it's refreshingly honest. So often, books fudge the costs of things when they say that they’re expensive. Venable prefers to deal in straight numbers. Ms. Lang pays Katie $30 an hour for 6 hours a night, which may inspire some kids to do the math to figure out how often Katie will need to catsit to hit her funding goal. And I didn’t find Katie’s dilemma peculiar at all. In New York City, kids of different economic strata often become friends. But when push comes to shove and summer camp calls, those financial differences are brought glaringly into the light.
A word or two on the art. Yue’s style complements Venable’s tone to a tee. It’s reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier’s or Lucy Knisley’s but distinctive in its own right. Plus, and I cannot stress this enough, Yue appears to go the extra mile. I mean, there are 201 legible cats and their special skills drawn AND named at the end of this book. Considering that Ms. Lang has 217 cats in total, I half wondered as I counted whether or not Venable & Yue would go over the count. Staring at these names and cats yields some nice surprises too. My own personal favorites include Tesla, whose special skill is “giving ideas away” and Mr. Aaron Purr Sir who is good at “duels”. I’m still working out the logistics behind Paw Simon’s talent as “splitting up team” and whether or not Izzy (“comedy historian”) is an Eddie Izzard reference. I also suspect that there may be some cat cameos from friend and family cats making their way onto those sheets, to say nothing of the occasional agent. I mean, how could you resist? 201 cats don't write and draw themselves!
Read a lot of comics for kids and you begin to get really picky. You start relying on instincts alone to rustle up the comics that will get kids the most excited. So there’s no exact reason why I like Katie the Catsitter better than a lot of other comics on the market. It just happens to have that combination of humor, humanity, and darn good art that makes magic. For the superhero fans, the Telgemeier fans, the fans of the funny, and the kids that will devour any comic that falls within their grasp. So, y’know. Everyone.
For ages 7-12
June 28, 2022
Oh this was so cute! Was I expecting this cuteness?!? Absolutely not. Honestly, I went into this book blind not really knowing what to expect. This story has such a unique twist on the idea of superheroes and supervillains that will appeal to a variety of readers.
Katie the Catsitter follows Katie right as summer break is approaching. While her best friend is heading to summer camp, Katie has to stay at home due to financial constraints. Luckily, she and her friends come up with the brilliant idea of Katie working to save up money to attend at least one week of camp. Although she fails at most of the jobs that she attempts, Katie is finally able to secure a job with Ms. Lang by cat sitting during the evening. However, these are no ordinary cats and Ms. Lang may or may not be the neighbor Katie thinks she is.
I was pleasantly surprised at the themes that this graphic novel ends up addressing including differences in socioeconomic status amongst youth, changing friendships, and perceived good vs. perceived evil. Katie learns a lot during the summer and it was nice to see it all covered in a way that didn't seem overwhelming and/or rushed. Also, as a comic book fan I enjoyed the incorporation of superheroes and supervillains that run Katie's city. This will garner some appeal amongst readers who are already fans of DC and Marvel characters. Fortunately, this book does address the idea that good and evil are not as black and white as people make them to be. This is often apparent in the character Mousetress who is often depicted as a villain, but ends up doing a lot more good than expected. And the cats.....I mean I'm not necessarily a cat person because I'm allergic; however, I loved that the cats all had a unique personality with unique abilities. Of course they weren't realistic; however, this isn't a book that is supposed to be grounded in reality.
I've seen some people pick this up based on their read of Kiss Number 8; however, I must caution that these two books are targeted at two different audiences. So while Kiss Number 8 was for more of a young adult audience, this book is definitely for a middle grade audience. I wouldn't go in expecting them to read the same way. Overall, I thought that this story was cute and I honestly can't wait to pick up the second volume.
Katie the Catsitter follows Katie right as summer break is approaching. While her best friend is heading to summer camp, Katie has to stay at home due to financial constraints. Luckily, she and her friends come up with the brilliant idea of Katie working to save up money to attend at least one week of camp. Although she fails at most of the jobs that she attempts, Katie is finally able to secure a job with Ms. Lang by cat sitting during the evening. However, these are no ordinary cats and Ms. Lang may or may not be the neighbor Katie thinks she is.
I was pleasantly surprised at the themes that this graphic novel ends up addressing including differences in socioeconomic status amongst youth, changing friendships, and perceived good vs. perceived evil. Katie learns a lot during the summer and it was nice to see it all covered in a way that didn't seem overwhelming and/or rushed. Also, as a comic book fan I enjoyed the incorporation of superheroes and supervillains that run Katie's city. This will garner some appeal amongst readers who are already fans of DC and Marvel characters. Fortunately, this book does address the idea that good and evil are not as black and white as people make them to be. This is often apparent in the character Mousetress who is often depicted as a villain, but ends up doing a lot more good than expected. And the cats.....I mean I'm not necessarily a cat person because I'm allergic; however, I loved that the cats all had a unique personality with unique abilities. Of course they weren't realistic; however, this isn't a book that is supposed to be grounded in reality.
I've seen some people pick this up based on their read of Kiss Number 8; however, I must caution that these two books are targeted at two different audiences. So while Kiss Number 8 was for more of a young adult audience, this book is definitely for a middle grade audience. I wouldn't go in expecting them to read the same way. Overall, I thought that this story was cute and I honestly can't wait to pick up the second volume.
January 2, 2022
Katie is broke and she needs to make money to go to camp with her best friend. For a 12-year-old, that means doing odd jobs for the neighbors. As she attempts to help the other renters in her building, she finds that the jobs are harder than they look. Groceries are so heavy to carry up six flights of stairs. Plants are all so different in their watering needs. Then the neighbor upstairs asks Katie to catsit. How hard can it be? Change a litterbox now and then? But this is no ordinary cat situation. There are 217 cats in the apartment and they are each trained in their very own specialty. It is hilarious to see the graphics of all the things the cats can do. Not a litterbox in sight. These are smart cats. They use the bathroom. In addition to the apartment full of cats, there is a superhero story line. Lots of good stuff in this one and illustrations similar in style to Raina Telgemeier and Victoria Jamieson. Check this one out so you are locked and loaded for Book 2 coming out in February.
December 12, 2023
Najlepsza powieść graficzna przeczytana w tym roku
December 20, 2020
Oh my gosh this was so cute and so much fun! Cat lovers will definitely enjoy this one 😂 full review to come!
March 14, 2021
This is cute, but it wasn't AT ALL what I was expecting. That's probably my fault for not closely reading the blurb and adding this solely because it's attached to Venable (I read and loved Kiss Number 8 last year).
I thought I was getting into a light-hearted contemporary story of a tween saving up money via cat-sitting to join her friends at camp. I figured she would get to know her high-rise apartment neighbours, learn about herself, etc. What I got instead was a story set in a world where superheroes are a thing (this is probably what threw me the most) and a girl cat-sits 200+ kitties who are larger than life every night. These cats do weird shit like play computer, steal the neighbour's couch (because they destroy theirs every night), and are expert painters.
I guess I wasn't expecting this story to have so much whimsy and its humour is exaggerated and very on-the-nose. This, combined with a sweet story of a girl living with a single mom trying to save money, just never gelled for me. The whole thing felt off and unfocused. I do, however, want to point out that I think this book dealt with economic disparity very, very well. I think kid readers will appreciate the honesty and sensitivity that Venable brings to this aspect of the story.
I will give huge props for the art though. Yue's art is reminiscent of Telgemeier with its soft but very expressive style. The colouring is gorgeous too.
I wish I could rate this higher, but the art was not enough to turn around the disjointed story and off-kilter humour. I do think it'll hit the mark with its middle grade target audience though.
I thought I was getting into a light-hearted contemporary story of a tween saving up money via cat-sitting to join her friends at camp. I figured she would get to know her high-rise apartment neighbours, learn about herself, etc. What I got instead was a story set in a world where superheroes are a thing (this is probably what threw me the most) and a girl cat-sits 200+ kitties who are larger than life every night. These cats do weird shit like play computer, steal the neighbour's couch (because they destroy theirs every night), and are expert painters.
I guess I wasn't expecting this story to have so much whimsy and its humour is exaggerated and very on-the-nose. This, combined with a sweet story of a girl living with a single mom trying to save money, just never gelled for me. The whole thing felt off and unfocused. I do, however, want to point out that I think this book dealt with economic disparity very, very well. I think kid readers will appreciate the honesty and sensitivity that Venable brings to this aspect of the story.
I will give huge props for the art though. Yue's art is reminiscent of Telgemeier with its soft but very expressive style. The colouring is gorgeous too.
I wish I could rate this higher, but the art was not enough to turn around the disjointed story and off-kilter humour. I do think it'll hit the mark with its middle grade target audience though.
December 31, 2020
Katie is trying to find a way to earn money so she can join her two best friends for at least one week of camp this summer. So far, she's learned that the older gentleman in her apartment is crazy fit and she's a wimp at carrying groceries. She is better at killing plants than watering them. And she's not so gifted in the cleaning department either. When her upstairs neighbor Ms. Lang hears that Katie is trying to earn money for camp, she offers her a catsitting gig. Every night Katie goes and spends a few hours with Ms. Lang's 217 (!) cats and tries to survive the experience. These cats are insane! But rather than give up, Katie is determined to beat these felines at their own game and win this battle of wits. But what is going on with the superheroes in the city? And why does Ms. Lang happen to be gone every night the villain Mousetress strikes? And why has her best friend stopped writing her as frequently from camp?
This was HILARIOUS. Ms. Venable has an amazing gift with words, and knowing just how to turn a phrase for maximum comedic power. I want to sit down and re-read this right now just to enjoy her witty wording. I also love the story. The crazy cats with mad skills they should most definitely NOT have. The curious supers in the city. Katie's building full of characters. Katie and her mom's trip to a wax museum which just may scar her mom for life (so funny!). This was loads of fun and I think I may need to buy 3 more copies to satisfy the incredible demand this is going to have among readers at our school. Highly recommended for graphic novel fans, cat lovers, superhero fans, and anyone looking for a good laugh.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Some animal abuse cases are brought up.
This was HILARIOUS. Ms. Venable has an amazing gift with words, and knowing just how to turn a phrase for maximum comedic power. I want to sit down and re-read this right now just to enjoy her witty wording. I also love the story. The crazy cats with mad skills they should most definitely NOT have. The curious supers in the city. Katie's building full of characters. Katie and her mom's trip to a wax museum which just may scar her mom for life (so funny!). This was loads of fun and I think I may need to buy 3 more copies to satisfy the incredible demand this is going to have among readers at our school. Highly recommended for graphic novel fans, cat lovers, superhero fans, and anyone looking for a good laugh.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Some animal abuse cases are brought up.
December 31, 2020
To be honest, I was not sure what to expect from this book. I was cautiously optimistic it would be interesting and 2nd-4th grade appropriate. I was pleasantly surprised. This book was so fun and packed with strong female characters. The theme of animal protection is great for Elementary students.
I struggle with Graphic Novels in our school library. So often, the subject matter is too advanced for the language used and I end up with a Graphic Novel too advanced for Elementary and too boring for Middle School. This book is the solution to this problem. The subject matter and language line up perfectly. The graphics are very Elementary School appropriate. I will be happy to add this book to our library and will recommend it to my 2nd-5th Graders. I can also see Middle School students who are passionate about Graphic Novels enjoying this book.
I love the Main characters are all Female. They all feel extremely organic and not contrived. There are flaws in the main character (Katie). Like any great mentor, Madeline sees through these flaws and guides Katie to become a better version of herself. In my opinion, that is the value in this book. At the same time, this theme is not forced on the reader. It is laid out in a way that washes over the reader and carries through the story. This relationship also sets up the plot of a sequel nicely.
I will purchase this book for our school library.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy. The opinions expressed in this review are all mine. #netgalley #katiethecatsitter
I struggle with Graphic Novels in our school library. So often, the subject matter is too advanced for the language used and I end up with a Graphic Novel too advanced for Elementary and too boring for Middle School. This book is the solution to this problem. The subject matter and language line up perfectly. The graphics are very Elementary School appropriate. I will be happy to add this book to our library and will recommend it to my 2nd-5th Graders. I can also see Middle School students who are passionate about Graphic Novels enjoying this book.
I love the Main characters are all Female. They all feel extremely organic and not contrived. There are flaws in the main character (Katie). Like any great mentor, Madeline sees through these flaws and guides Katie to become a better version of herself. In my opinion, that is the value in this book. At the same time, this theme is not forced on the reader. It is laid out in a way that washes over the reader and carries through the story. This relationship also sets up the plot of a sequel nicely.
I will purchase this book for our school library.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy. The opinions expressed in this review are all mine. #netgalley #katiethecatsitter
April 6, 2025
Novela gráfica infantil +9 de fantasía y superhéroes
October 11, 2024
This is amazing. As a lover of Catwoman (Eartha Kitt!), cats, middle grade books, and graphic novels, this was everything one could have wanted it to be.
December 29, 2023
(Nie było jej wcześniej na GoodReads, więc nadrabiam)
Zakochałam się w tej powieści graficznej! Kreska, humor, opieka na 217 kotami, które mają niezły charakterek. Bardzo czekam na drugą część.
I nagrałam do niej jedną z moich ulubionych rolek reklamowych na Instagramie i wciąż jestem z niej bardzo dumna.
Zakochałam się w tej powieści graficznej! Kreska, humor, opieka na 217 kotami, które mają niezły charakterek. Bardzo czekam na drugą część.
I nagrałam do niej jedną z moich ulubionych rolek reklamowych na Instagramie i wciąż jestem z niej bardzo dumna.
October 1, 2024
Mega cute to było
November 20, 2022
A fun, exciting graphic novel great for any middle grade cat lover!
"Mrs. Piper let you have... two cats?!" "Wrong and wrong. Mrs. Piper doesn't know. And... it's more than two cats."
Yup. Katie the Catsitter has to cat-sit more than two cats: 217 to be exact. This book was cute, funny, exciting, and just the little cat book I was hoping for!
I'm not exactly a middle grade reader, but this was on my state's book award list and I absolutely love cats, so I had to read this!
It had a nice, consistent pace throughout and was exciting! It was pretty predictable for me, but I'm sure if a middle grade reader was reading this they wouldn't be bothered by it that much.
I really liked the characters in this book. They were funny, enjoyable, and realistic. I was glad to see some diverse character, I noticed many poc characters which I was glad to see. However, I was sad to see zero lgbtq+ people, so hoping for that in this author's future.
The plot of this book was captivating and exciting. I found that I actually cared about this book and what happened next, and I really had such a joy reading this.
The end of this book was a little confusing, however I can't really elaborate on that with spoiling, so click this button at your own risk...
So, I believe that's all I have to say about this book, so now the three questions...
Would I recommend this book?
Yes! You might not enjoy it was much if you're not a middle grade (or at least read the genre, it doesn't really matter your age, in my opinion) cat lover, but this was a fun, quick comforting read.
If this was a movie, what would I rate it?
PG.
Will I read the others?
At some point, I would like to, because man, I really got a kick out of these awesome cats!
"Mrs. Piper let you have... two cats?!" "Wrong and wrong. Mrs. Piper doesn't know. And... it's more than two cats."
Yup. Katie the Catsitter has to cat-sit more than two cats: 217 to be exact. This book was cute, funny, exciting, and just the little cat book I was hoping for!
I'm not exactly a middle grade reader, but this was on my state's book award list and I absolutely love cats, so I had to read this!
It had a nice, consistent pace throughout and was exciting! It was pretty predictable for me, but I'm sure if a middle grade reader was reading this they wouldn't be bothered by it that much.
I really liked the characters in this book. They were funny, enjoyable, and realistic. I was glad to see some diverse character, I noticed many poc characters which I was glad to see. However, I was sad to see zero lgbtq+ people, so hoping for that in this author's future.
The plot of this book was captivating and exciting. I found that I actually cared about this book and what happened next, and I really had such a joy reading this.
The end of this book was a little confusing, however I can't really elaborate on that with spoiling, so click this button at your own risk...
So, I believe that's all I have to say about this book, so now the three questions...
Would I recommend this book?
Yes! You might not enjoy it was much if you're not a middle grade (or at least read the genre, it doesn't really matter your age, in my opinion) cat lover, but this was a fun, quick comforting read.
If this was a movie, what would I rate it?
PG.
Will I read the others?
At some point, I would like to, because man, I really got a kick out of these awesome cats!
March 25, 2021
Saving up for a week away at summer camp with her best friend Bethany, New York City girl Katie starts advertising her services in her apartment building, hoping to find small jobs to earn some money. When her upstairs neighbor, Madeline, hires her as a sitter for her 217(!) cats, Katie discovers that these felines (and their human) are not what they seem. As dramatic events unfold in the city, Katie starts to wonder: could Madeline be the supervillain Mousetress..?
I don't read very many graphic novels - probably not as many as I should, given how popular they have become in my field - but a friend and work colleague particularly recommended Katie the Catsitter, so I decided to pick it up. I'm certainly glad I did, as I found it quite entertaining. The superhero aspect didn't do much for me - the superhero craze has mostly passed me by - but I loved all of the different cat characters, with their specific skills, and I thought Katie herself was an engaging protagonist. I'd recommend this one to middle-grade readers who enjoy the graphic novel format, who love cats, or who like superhero stories. For my part, I'll definitely be tracking down the sequel, due out in 2022.
I don't read very many graphic novels - probably not as many as I should, given how popular they have become in my field - but a friend and work colleague particularly recommended Katie the Catsitter, so I decided to pick it up. I'm certainly glad I did, as I found it quite entertaining. The superhero aspect didn't do much for me - the superhero craze has mostly passed me by - but I loved all of the different cat characters, with their specific skills, and I thought Katie herself was an engaging protagonist. I'd recommend this one to middle-grade readers who enjoy the graphic novel format, who love cats, or who like superhero stories. For my part, I'll definitely be tracking down the sequel, due out in 2022.
February 7, 2024
Błagam to jest takie słodziutkieeee i urocze, ze chętnie przeczytałabym to jeszcze raz od nowa
to było moje pierwsze zetknięcie się z powieściami graficznymi i jestem pozytywnie zaskoczona i wiem, że nie był to ostatni raz
217 kociaków w jednej książce, i’m in loveeeee
to było moje pierwsze zetknięcie się z powieściami graficznymi i jestem pozytywnie zaskoczona i wiem, że nie był to ostatni raz
217 kociaków w jednej książce, i’m in loveeeee
November 3, 2021
super, super cute and cats!!!!
July 21, 2021
Another adorable graphic novel with a heart-touching concept, and GORGEOUS illustrations ✨✨
April 25, 2022
Fun and adorable.
This would have been five stars from me, but I felt the book struggles until it gets to the cats. In fact, it was a three stars from me until the cats were introduced. The cats show up early on and from that point through to the end, the book is a solid five stars.
I laughed aloud at some of the cat antics. The storyline might be a bit political. If your child reads it, you’ll need to explain that something what is right for a comic book character doesn’t always translate to real life. I’d think kids would get that on their own, but a lot of kids are basically raising themselves and miss out on a lot.
I think any cat lover, adult or tween, would love this.
This would have been five stars from me, but I felt the book struggles until it gets to the cats. In fact, it was a three stars from me until the cats were introduced. The cats show up early on and from that point through to the end, the book is a solid five stars.
I laughed aloud at some of the cat antics. The storyline might be a bit political. If your child reads it, you’ll need to explain that something what is right for a comic book character doesn’t always translate to real life. I’d think kids would get that on their own, but a lot of kids are basically raising themselves and miss out on a lot.
I think any cat lover, adult or tween, would love this.
January 4, 2021
Katie wants to go to summer camp with her friends.
Katie doesn't have the money to go to summer camp with her friends.
Katie has to earn money to go to summer camp with her friends.
Sounds like a typical middle grade story. Yawn? Nope, not at all.
Because Katie become a cat sitter for a neighbor who owns 217 cats. She had taught her cats to use the human toilet. She has taught her cats to use the computers. She had taught her cats to sew. She had taught her cats to do all manner of things.
Oh, and Katie's neighbor goes out and night, and does something.
Meanwhile, there is a super villain on the loose that is causing the Screech Owl, the local super hero, all manner of problems?
And yes, Katie has ignored the super hero and his antics for the most part, but something is oddly familiar about the super villain.
This is a delightful take on what otherwise might just a story about friendship and growing apart when kids go to away to camp. I love how in this version of reality that it is perfectly normal to have super heroes, who are concerned about their yelp raitings.
And this is apparently the first in a series.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Katie doesn't have the money to go to summer camp with her friends.
Katie has to earn money to go to summer camp with her friends.
Sounds like a typical middle grade story. Yawn? Nope, not at all.
Because Katie become a cat sitter for a neighbor who owns 217 cats. She had taught her cats to use the human toilet. She has taught her cats to use the computers. She had taught her cats to sew. She had taught her cats to do all manner of things.
Oh, and Katie's neighbor goes out and night, and does something.
Meanwhile, there is a super villain on the loose that is causing the Screech Owl, the local super hero, all manner of problems?
And yes, Katie has ignored the super hero and his antics for the most part, but something is oddly familiar about the super villain.
This is a delightful take on what otherwise might just a story about friendship and growing apart when kids go to away to camp. I love how in this version of reality that it is perfectly normal to have super heroes, who are concerned about their yelp raitings.
And this is apparently the first in a series.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 18, 2022
Well, this book was a perfect case of the 'give it 30 pages' rule. I really felt like I was going to suffer through this one in the beginning, but once the cats were introduced...I LOVED IT. Hilarious and witty and smart.
April 28, 2021
Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue is a perfect middle-grade graphic about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats!
Katie wants to go to summer camp with her friends, but her mom can’t afford it. Her plan is to do odd jobs around her apartment complex to make some money, and then she will join her friends later in the summer.
Her first few jobs are flops, but then she lands the perfect job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor. First of all, Madeline has 217 cats and they're not exactly... normal cats. I wish Todd would clean the house before I came home everyday. Anyway, why is Madeline always out when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?!
This graphic novel was so witty and cute. It had me laughing and smiling the whole time. What more could you want in a graphic novel — cats, strong female characters, saving animals, and making new friends. I’m excited to read about Katie’s next adventure.
Katie wants to go to summer camp with her friends, but her mom can’t afford it. Her plan is to do odd jobs around her apartment complex to make some money, and then she will join her friends later in the summer.
Her first few jobs are flops, but then she lands the perfect job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor. First of all, Madeline has 217 cats and they're not exactly... normal cats. I wish Todd would clean the house before I came home everyday. Anyway, why is Madeline always out when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?!
This graphic novel was so witty and cute. It had me laughing and smiling the whole time. What more could you want in a graphic novel — cats, strong female characters, saving animals, and making new friends. I’m excited to read about Katie’s next adventure.
October 14, 2020
I received an eARC courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Yikes! I did not actually expect to enjoy this book so much, but I adore it! My initial thoughts are these: Ms. Sistine is kind of not-a-great teacher & I need to know more about Dr. Claw....
Fans of Telgemeier, Chmakova, and Hale are going to flip for this one. I would go so far to say that fans of the DC Superhero Girls will find some parts of this that they love as well. I think it has a very interesting blending of superhero meets real world. Distance forming in a friendship, growing up, possibly evil cats-what's not to love?
For Libraries: Take a chance on this one! It is so cute.
Yikes! I did not actually expect to enjoy this book so much, but I adore it! My initial thoughts are these: Ms. Sistine is kind of not-a-great teacher & I need to know more about Dr. Claw....
Fans of Telgemeier, Chmakova, and Hale are going to flip for this one. I would go so far to say that fans of the DC Superhero Girls will find some parts of this that they love as well. I think it has a very interesting blending of superhero meets real world. Distance forming in a friendship, growing up, possibly evil cats-what's not to love?
For Libraries: Take a chance on this one! It is so cute.
February 14, 2021
I was a little disappointed in this one at first, as I was expecting a somewhat realistic tale of a girl's adventures as a pet sitter. Instead I got a lot of superheroes and supervillains, and cats who can use computers. But . . . the likable characters, combined with Stephanie Yue's wonderful artwork, won me over.
It all adds up to another great girl-oriented graphic novel that I suspect the kids at the library will adore.
It all adds up to another great girl-oriented graphic novel that I suspect the kids at the library will adore.
January 13, 2021
This just didn't grab me in the least. Loved the idea and the cover, but I really didn't like this very much. I liked the style of the illustrations, but the story was a complete disappointment.
March 18, 2021
Cats and comics is a winning combination. Cat & Cat, The Kitten Construction Company, the Cat Kid Comic Club, and even that craziest of cats, Looshkin, are some of my favourite graphic novels and they’re adored by the kids at my school. Now there is Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue to bring some kitty joy to your life.
Katie’s friends are excited about summer camp but Katie can’t afford to go so she’ll be stuck at home all summer while her friends have fun. Katie decides to try and save up for camp by doing jobs for people in her building. After a couple of unsuccessful jobs she gets offered the job of looking after Ms. Lang’s cats for a few hours every night. It’s not just one or two cats though, but 217, and these are no ordinary cats. They use the toilet like humans, order stuff online and steal couches from the lady downstairs. Katie becomes suspicious of Ms. Lang and believes that she might be the supervillain, The Mousetress. The more Katie learns about her crimes though, the more she wonders whether The Mousetress might just be a superhero instead. When The Mousetress is captured by the superhero, The Eastern Screech, Ms. Lang’s cats put a plan into action to save her. But they’re going to need Katie’s help.
Katie the Catsitter is a super fun, adorable and hilarious graphic novel that I totally love. When you meet all of Ms. Lang’s cats you’ll wish your cats were this cool. You’ll also wish you had a team of cats, with skills like this, to help you every day and give you snuggles. Life certainly wouldn’t be dull with them around.
Katie is a super relatable character that kids will love. She’s the kid who can’t afford to do everything her friends are doing but works hard to try and achieve her goal. She feels her friend slipping away and becoming a different person, but she makes lots of new feline friends. I love the relationships that Katie has with the adults around her, whether it’s with her mum, Ms. Lang or Mr B. Katie has a positive relationship with each of them. Each of the cats has its own name and personality, as well as a particular set of skills. There’s Miles (laser expert), Jollie (computer hacking), Seamus (Math Genius), DJ Bootie Butler (Mad Beats), and so many more. I love the last few pages of the book where Colleen and Stephanie show us all of the cats, with their name, skill and a little picture of each one. They all look distinctly different which is so cool.
The story flows really naturally and the artwork is fun and full of character. I love the panels of the cats clearing up the apartment after they’ve gone crazy. They are just calmly mending furniture and walls, bringing in groceries to put in the fridge and then freaking out when they turn the vacuum on. I particularly enjoyed the matching panels, near the start of the book, about the last day of school. The kids are jumping for joy and high-fiving in the corridor, while the teachers are doing the same in the teachers’ lounge.
Katie the Catsitter is going to be a huge hit with the kids at my school, especially with fans of Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson and Shannon Hale. A fun fact I learnt at the end of the book is that the illustrator, Stephanie Yue, was the colourist of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile. Thankfully this is just the first book in the series, with book 2 due in 2022.
Katie’s friends are excited about summer camp but Katie can’t afford to go so she’ll be stuck at home all summer while her friends have fun. Katie decides to try and save up for camp by doing jobs for people in her building. After a couple of unsuccessful jobs she gets offered the job of looking after Ms. Lang’s cats for a few hours every night. It’s not just one or two cats though, but 217, and these are no ordinary cats. They use the toilet like humans, order stuff online and steal couches from the lady downstairs. Katie becomes suspicious of Ms. Lang and believes that she might be the supervillain, The Mousetress. The more Katie learns about her crimes though, the more she wonders whether The Mousetress might just be a superhero instead. When The Mousetress is captured by the superhero, The Eastern Screech, Ms. Lang’s cats put a plan into action to save her. But they’re going to need Katie’s help.
Katie the Catsitter is a super fun, adorable and hilarious graphic novel that I totally love. When you meet all of Ms. Lang’s cats you’ll wish your cats were this cool. You’ll also wish you had a team of cats, with skills like this, to help you every day and give you snuggles. Life certainly wouldn’t be dull with them around.
Katie is a super relatable character that kids will love. She’s the kid who can’t afford to do everything her friends are doing but works hard to try and achieve her goal. She feels her friend slipping away and becoming a different person, but she makes lots of new feline friends. I love the relationships that Katie has with the adults around her, whether it’s with her mum, Ms. Lang or Mr B. Katie has a positive relationship with each of them. Each of the cats has its own name and personality, as well as a particular set of skills. There’s Miles (laser expert), Jollie (computer hacking), Seamus (Math Genius), DJ Bootie Butler (Mad Beats), and so many more. I love the last few pages of the book where Colleen and Stephanie show us all of the cats, with their name, skill and a little picture of each one. They all look distinctly different which is so cool.
The story flows really naturally and the artwork is fun and full of character. I love the panels of the cats clearing up the apartment after they’ve gone crazy. They are just calmly mending furniture and walls, bringing in groceries to put in the fridge and then freaking out when they turn the vacuum on. I particularly enjoyed the matching panels, near the start of the book, about the last day of school. The kids are jumping for joy and high-fiving in the corridor, while the teachers are doing the same in the teachers’ lounge.
Katie the Catsitter is going to be a huge hit with the kids at my school, especially with fans of Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson and Shannon Hale. A fun fact I learnt at the end of the book is that the illustrator, Stephanie Yue, was the colourist of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile. Thankfully this is just the first book in the series, with book 2 due in 2022.
June 22, 2022
You know a comic is good when you are compelled to try and convey to your mates the visual gag that made you laugh out loud.
A VERY cute comic about a kid who lives in a New York crawling with superheroes and villains who falls into catsitting for one in her building while trying to earn money for summer camp. Good humor, cute art style, great supporting cast, and Katie herself is a lot of fun. Highly recommend!
A VERY cute comic about a kid who lives in a New York crawling with superheroes and villains who falls into catsitting for one in her building while trying to earn money for summer camp. Good humor, cute art style, great supporting cast, and Katie herself is a lot of fun. Highly recommend!
April 14, 2021
Can I give this 10 stars?? Please please pretty please?! So. Freaking. Adorable! And hilarious! I love it! When Katie gets a job catsitting so that she can save up money to join her friend Bethany at summer camp, she learns some surprising things about the cats and their owner. Could she really be a famous supervillain?! Everything is just a little exaggerated for comic effect, like--all 217 cats (in one apartment?! Really?! ) have unique names and personalities and, more importantly, each has a special skill, like martial arts (ha!) or computer hacking (good grief!) or sewing (I am giggling so hard...). The landlady character is a hoot. The town's resident superhero, "Easter Screech Owl" (you already know from his pompous name how he's gonna be) is on the hunt for The Mousestress. The relationship between Katie and her mom is wonderful. And Katie learns some lessons about friendship.
August 29, 2021
I wish I'd had this book when I was 10!
217 cats! A teal-hair-streaked heroine with proper puffy sticker skills and a Labyrinth poster on the wall!
I can't wait for Book 2!
(Oh, and this is the second time I say this is one week: I miss mail.)
217 cats! A teal-hair-streaked heroine with proper puffy sticker skills and a Labyrinth poster on the wall!
I can't wait for Book 2!
(Oh, and this is the second time I say this is one week: I miss mail.)
December 3, 2021
This might be one of my favorite mg graphic novels EVER. Girl trying to raise money for summer camp starts cat sitting for upstairs neighbor only to learn the cats are special and the neighbor might also be more than she seems. Hilarious and action packed and with an awesome animal advocacy angle.
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