A review by erine
Small in the City by Sydney Smith

3.0

I struggled with the lack of clarity. Apparently it was the child narrating, speaking to their lost cat. But I didn’t catch on until the narrator tells the reader (cat) that they can go sit on a park bench, and “Sometimes my friend is there. If you see her, say hi. You could sit on her lap and she will pet you.” I found that creepy and had to read the whole thing three times before I could fully understand the story.

Basically, Small, it’s not you, it’s me. The illustrations hit the mark, but the text was so... whimsically difficult. I probably would have been more satisfied if I had known about the cat from the get-go. But neither the endpapers nor the title page had even the slightest clue.

As a book presented by someone in the know to another person who has lost their pet, this might be relatable, or even comforting. But I was merely confounded.



Upon reflection, a bonus star for a nonspecifically gendered main character. Which is a rarity, and yet, so delightful when it does occur.