Caramba

* Gay, Marie-Louise. Caramba. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2005.

"Caramba look like any other cat. He had soft fur and a long , stripy tail. He ate fish. He purred. He went for long walks. But Caramba was different from other cats. He couldn't fly." So begins the quest of a endearing young cat who tries desperately to be like the others, but learns along the way to enjoy being who he is and discovers a talent that surprises even himself. The watercolour paintings with pencil and pastel provide a straight-ahead illustration of the storyline, but add a strong sense of exuberance and humour while further developing character. A beautiful, funny, touching book.