Grumpius is the story of a grumpy orange cat who adopts his human, and though he doesn’t seem to, he loves her very much. He wanders into her life and becomes her companion, spending his time on a footstool in the kitchen or under the lilac bush while she gardens.
When her garden blooms his human becomes very busy and for several days forgets to call him home, until eventually he stays away. One day she realizes Grumpius is not there and waits for him in the rain, calling for him. Grumpius comes back and she apologizes for neglecting their time together. She then makes a point of protecting their special time, which makes Grumpius very happy.
The artwork places special emphasis on Grumpius, making him the only full-color image in any of the pages, the rest have a pen-and-ink style that lends itself to a lot of detail and gentle washes of color. This style of drawing is perfect for Grumpius as it conveys his beefy frame and straggly-furred self perfectly, as well as the detail in the garden. It is a somewhat more old-fashioned style of artwork, so if you are looking for vibrant imagery this may not be your cup of tea.
This is a story that will definitely pull at your heart strings, especially if you have ever been the companion of a somewhat grumpy cat. If you are looking for a sweet story about the importance of making time for your friends, then this will become a beloved bedtime story.
I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley and Windmill Books in exchange for my honest review.
