A dog turns up in a picture book already devoted. A cat turns up with an agenda. She will sit on the page you were reading, knock the plot off the table to see what it does, and remain entirely unbothered by the fact that neither belongs to her. Illustrators have never been able to leave that shape alone—the arch, the tail, the flat unimpressed stare—and children who have never once been obeyed by anything recognize the appeal immediately. The best cat books understand the joke and let the cat win most of it.
Drawing on Bookroo’s collection of 1,997 cat books, our editors looked past the mountain of merely cute and chose the ones with an actual cat in them: a kitten who mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk, a tabby quietly running six households at once, a cat who takes a red marker to his own picture book, the strays of a city under siege, and the warrior Clans that have kept a generation of nine-year-olds reading straight through a shelf. Start with our shortlist of 14 favorites, then follow the cat by age and reading stage—board books for laps, picture books for reading aloud, and chapter books for readers who have already picked a Clan.
A kitten mistakes the moon for milk. Will her quest succeed?
A forgetful cat faces a mysterious stranger in the kitchen.
A mischievous cat's thieving spree leads to unexpected chaos.
A cat sets out in brand-new white shoes and proceeds to step in absolutely everything.
One cat walks through the world, and every creature watching him sees something completely different.
A clever cat juggles six owners for extra meals, but a cold complicates his scheme.
An indoor cat files his complaints: the sunny spot moved, the food is wrong, and the loud machine is back.
Aliens crash-land and team up with insects to outsmart a curious cat.
A father works the night shift alone in a shut-down factory, until a small stray begins making the rounds with him.
As a city empties out under bombardment, one driver stays behind to feed the cats left behind with it.
A mother cat decides it's time for her four winged kittens to leave the nest and make a life of their own.
A visitor from elsewhere meant to arrive as a human and lands as a stray cat instead, with a month to get home.
A pampered house cat slips into the woods behind the garden and is invited to train as a wild warrior.
Sturdy first books full of purring, pouncing, hiding in boxes, and one extremely forgetful cat — ages 0–3.
Kitten resists naptime, exploring a world of opposites.
Tiny Cat's playful dress-up turns into a wild adventure. Can it handle the beast within?
Discover counting with playful cats from one to twelve.
A beloved cat's favorite toy vanishes. Can she find it before it's too late?
Count animals and find the hidden cat in a playful search.
Mog the cat faces Christmas chaos and unexpected surprises.
A curious cat meets a puzzling new family member. Can they become friends?
A counting book that features various animals and their families.
Explore vibrant scenes and discover 200 words in this engaging toddler adventure.
A shy kitten's day of unexpected friendships unfolds.
Can two cats find a way to play in a world of black and white?
Mischief and moonlight, first days at school, cats who argue with their own author, and the ones that win medals for their art — ages 3–8.
A witch's pets and belongings get into chaos when she is out of the house.
A playful cat loses his hat. Will his lazy friend help retrieve it?
Pete the Kitty faces his fear of the doctor with his dad's help.
A boy named Pete prepares a large sandwich to eat for lunch.
A cat with big paws finds his purpose at a firehouse.
A young reader celebrates the joy of reading and the many things they can learn from books.
Two friends with secrets must decide if honesty will strengthen or break their bond.
A cat named Pete spends the day at the beach with his mom and brother, trying surfing for the first time.
A man and his cat participate in a library's story time event with his neighbor and her dog.
Meet Cat the Cat and discover surprises with her animal friends.
Can a cat fly like a butterfly? Discover the answer in this beginner's reading adventure.
A rainy day spirals into chaos when an unexpected guest arrives with wild tricks.
Clan wars, alley cats, feline detectives, and animals with far more inner life than they let on — independent readers ages 6–12.
An elderly man seeks companionship in a cat to ease his loneliness.
A cricket's hidden talent may change the heart of New York City.
A young mouse named Ragweed leaves his home in the country to explore the city and gets caught up in a world of danger and adventure.
A royal cat and beetle sidekick hunt a thief in ancient Egypt.
A person tries to give a cat a bath.
Two solitary souls find unexpected family by the sea's embrace.
A young girl discovers a magical world of creatures in her backyard and learns to care for them with the help of her scientist mother
A bird and a squirrel embark on a journey to the south, facing various obstacles and challenges along the way.
Three pets brave the wild to reunite with their owner.
Tiny family faces chaos when messy guests invade their hidden home.
A young boy runs away from home to rescue a baby dragon from a group of wild animals on a remote island
Can an imaginary cat help a struggling family find hope and stability?
