Cat's New Friend

Jialin Wang, born in Jinzhou, a city in the Chinese province of Liaoning, is a senior media worker and tv editor. With her love of picture books, she has been committed to promoting plays for children, especially plays based on children’s books, on the stage and screen for many years. Cat’s New Friend is her first picture book. Jialin hopes to write many more stories filled with her love of life and her curiosity about the world.Ziying Jiang was born in Xinxiang, Henan, China. She learned how to paint at an early age and later taught herself all about graphic design. For many years, she worked in the graphic design industry. Then, with a soft spot for picture books, Ziying became an illustrator. She hopes to bring young children joy and happiness through her drawings.

"Even a life filled with wild adventures, a cozy home, and plenty of food isn’t enough when there’s no one to share them with. In need of a friend, Cat goes out and buys one—a fish in a bowl. But Fish hides in terror every time the bewhiskered face looms outside her world. Cat laughingly assuages Fish’s fears—he’s not going eat her; he just wants a pal. Life is grand after that, and every day Cat tells Fish about his wonderful exploits…until he notices that Fish is wasting away. It turns out that living vicariously through Cat is not enough for poor Fish, who misses her family. He knows he’s going to miss her terribly, but Cat works out a way to get Fish back home again. Neither wants to lose their friendship, but they say goodbye and wish each other well. Later, Cat joyfully realizes he can still play with Fish in his dreams. Wang’s sweet story of an unlikely friendship touches on the importance of being sensitive to each other’s needs. Jiang’s detailed illustrations in soft pastels capture Cat and Fish’s life together. From Cat’s winsome home, which resembles a giant loaf of bread with a door shaped like a fish, to the welcoming tropical landscape, the perfect setting for a nearly perfect friendship shines through. A gentle reminder that true friendship means putting others first." - Kirkus Review