Brief Description:
"Wilhelmina, the world's most beloved pet cat, is missing. Or is she? This adventure features one very worried little girl, two frayed dads, a backyard of perils, and sneaky reference to some of the world's greatest works of art" -- Page 4 of cover.

Biographical Note:
Joseph Belisle draws and paints, teaches art, is husband to David, and father to Faith, and with the debut of this book becomes a children's book author and illustrator. Belisle proudly runs Lighthouse, the LGBTQ+ teen group at Kids in Crisis. He grew up in a big family in a small New England town and currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where it is also his job to keep up with the real-life Wilhelmina.

Review Quotes:

"Perfect... I would recommend this book to not just those who like cats but who have ever had a cat living with them. It would also be a very fun story time read-aloud."--STARRED REVIEW, Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Manager, Youth Services Book Review

"My 4-year-old was instantly drawn into the story of the lost cat Wilhelmina and asked to read it again and again. As we did, we noticed new details in the illustrations each time and new things to discuss. As a parent, I loved the exposure to real works of art like The Scream and The Thinker and the representation of a two-dad multiracial family."--Sarah Prager, Queer, There, and Everywhere and Rainbow Revolutionaries

Description for Sales People:
"Fantastic...I love the famous pieces of art throughout the book and that readers can go online to learn more about the pieces. The story does a great job of looking at children's anxiety without making it scary. The humor adds a lot."--Brianna Schneider, Children's Specialist, Barrett Bookstore Everyone worries, and this book tackles this topic with warmth and humor, as a little girl's mind is filled with worried "what ifs" after her beloved cat Wilhelmina escapes her house. Her dads help her in the search for Wilhelmina and in coping with her feelings. Along the way, their adventure is chronicled with illustrations that slyly depict great work of arts, many of them mirroring the emotions in the story. There are several popular books that focus on a child's anxieties, and Blair is especially excited to add a book featuring a family with two dads and a child of color. A portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to Kids in Crisis, a nonprofit that serves at-risk kids in Connecticut. Lexile range 420 to 600.

Publisher Marketing:
Wilhelmina, the world's most beloved pet cat, is missing. Or is she? This boldly illustrated adventure features one very worried girl, two frayed dads, a backyard of perils, and sneaky references to great works of art. Based on a true story, a real family, and a real cat named Wilhelmina.

Review Citations:

• Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2021 (EAN 9781949467413, Hardcover)