I Hate My Cats (A Love Story)
by Davide Cali
illustrations by Anna Pirolli

Ginger is the weird one. She plays with peas, purrs at artichokes, and has a strange fondness for chicken (but only the neighbor's chicken). Then there's Fred. His greatest talent? Sleeping. Oh, and hiding. And when he's not hiding, he's conspiring with Ginger to destroy the house! Such is life with cats. . . can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em—if you love them, that is. And yet the question remains: Why are these captivating creatures so marvelously maddening?! This humorous picture book about a cat owner and his beguiling felines celebrates quirky cat companions, impurrfections and all.

“International picture-book author Cali pens a simple story every cat’s human will recognize. However, it’s Italian debut illustrator Pirolli’s perfect portrayals of pussycats that charm from every page. Both cat expressions and the lines of their bodies are flawless. The interplay between textual narrative and illustrations is a primer in visual irony, so deadpan that children may need a few runs through to get it. Just about any human owned by a cat would appreciate this as a gift.”
*Kirkus Starred Review

"Like the inquisitive cats themselves, Cali delights in the most mundane and often annoying of feline habits—knocking things over, chasing everything that moves, shedding on the good towels—though he helpfully frames these quirks as necessary acts of play and exploration. Illustrator Pirolli juxtaposes the lively, animated cats against serene, calm, and almost palatial interiors and spares no detail; her attention to light and shadow rings especially true to the cats’ keen and curious eyes. Even the most feline averse will recognize this humorous book as a perfect encapsulation of the madness of cats, and those that love (or hate) them."
Booklist

"A must-have for anyone who treasures those oh-so-complicated love-hate relationships."
School Library Journal