There was a cat who couldn’t be bothered. All his friends came over and asked if he wanted to join them in what they were doing.

Did he want to chase a ball of string? He did not.

Did he want to go to a party? He did not.

Did he want to go exploring? Did he want to dance or sing or bake or play trombone? He did not.

So when his friends asked him what he wanted to do, he explained that it wasn’t that he couldn’t be bothered. It was that he was sad, and he wanted to do nothing. So his friends said that they understood and asked if they could do nothing with him.

The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered is a sweet children’s book about friendship and empathy that can teach young readers how to be a better friend. It has charming illustrations with lots of color and imagination, but mostly it has heart.

I loved this story. I was impressed at how the friends were respectful of the cat, asking about his feelings and joining him while he was sad. Through the illustrations, the cat is always shown in black and white while his friends and their activities are in full, bright color, showing his feelings through the colors as well as through the cat’s expression. This could be a fantastic tool to help kids understand their friends’ feelings and in finding ways they might be able to help.

Egalleys for The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered were provided by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books through Edelweiss, with many thanks.