In A Cat Who Became American, Marie Ueda offers a unique and humorous take on the classic immigrant story. Through the eyes of Kinoko, a cat born in Portugal, readers get a first-hand account of adjusting to life in a new country. Kinoko is eventually adopted by Marie and Chris, who spend the first few years of their life in Portugal. However, they all soon relocate to San Francisco, California, and it’s there that Kinoko lives the remainder of his life. Kinoko’s perspective provides a relatable lens for readers of all backgrounds to understand and sympathize with the struggles of immigration.

The author creatively tackles the subject of immigration and adjusting to life in a new country in a humorous and tongue-in-cheek manner, and I found myself chuckling throughout. In addition, I appreciated that the author gave us some of Kinoko’s background story, which allowed me to get to know his character better and to understand how much his owners love him.

Kinoko deals with many significant milestones in life, making this a relatable read. By letting us see life through the lens of a cat it makes it easier for people to understand and be sympathetic. My favorite image in the book is when Marie is chopping onions, and there is an image of Marie and Konoko crying. The author also helps readers to not take life too seriously and to try to find the positive in a challenging situation. The illustrations, done by the author herself, bring Kinoko’s journey to life and further enhance the story’s relatability. The images allow the reader to visualize Kinoko’s journey making this a relatable read.

A Cat Who Became American by Marie Ueda is a unique and amusing biography, and portrayal of a difficult situation told from the perspective of a cat. This creative book will captivate readers from the start of Kinoko’s journey till the end.

Pages: 156 | ASIN : B09KC56GQ1