A History of Art in 21 Cats takes a leisurely stroll through the history of art by using charming and colorful cat portraits. Each style of art starts with a portrait of a cat using the most recognizable and most significant features of the art movement, eat portrait displaying a sense of humor, wonder, and whimsy. Each art movement has an introduction as well as a couple of pages that take the representative cat portrait apart and look closely at each facet, explaining the artist and the style that it expresses.

Beautifully illustrated by Nia Gould, this charming book starts with the art of Ancient Egypt and the Byzantine, Renaissance, and Rococo periods, and then moves through the highly recognizable Impressionists, Pointillists, and Cubists. Then it goes on to more abstract art movements, and helps explain Dadaism, Magic Realism, Surrealism, and Abstract Impressionism in a way I could finally understand and recognize. She ends with the more modern Pop Art, Minimalism, and Graffiti.

But can you really learn art by looking at paintings of cats? Absolutely! I took an art class back in college, and I remember several of the more obvious artists of history (Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Picasso—all those artists whose work can now be bought in large posters, on mugs, knitted into socks, printed on umbrellas). But there are artists in this book whose art I was far less familiar with, and art movements I had trouble wrapping my head around.

After reading through this short book and seeing how Gould conceptualizes the art movements through the centuries, I have a far better understanding, and a deeper appreciation, of Fauvism, De Stijl, CoBrA, Art Deco, and Postimpressionism. The cats, frankly, I already liked.

So who should read this book? Anyone wanting to learn more about art. Do you know a kid who is interested in learning how to paint? Or a college student needing to cram for their art history midterm? Do you want your parents to understand the art you love? Have a friend who loves art and cats? Buy each of them a copy of A History of Art in 21 Cats, and get an extra one for yourself. This is an adorable gift book and an incredible resource in one tiny tome.

I feel like I’m going overboard on this little book of cat portraits, but it genuinely moved me that much. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it. I didn’t expect to understand art better. On both counts, I was wrong.

Galleys for A History of Art in 21 Cats were provided by Andrews McMeel Pubishing through NetGalley, with many thanks. My permanent copy I will soon be buying for myself.