“Come on.”

From Colleen AF Venable’s Katie the Catsitter.

In a New York City where superheroes and villains run wild, all Katie wants to do it go to summer camp with her best friends Jess and Bethany, so she doesn’t much care that the popular, but self-centered hero known as the Eastern Screech is constantly hunting for his arch nemesis, the mysterious Mousetress.  Since her mom is unable to afford the hefty price tag for camp, Katie decides to see if any of the neighbors in her apartment building are willing to hire her for any odd jobs. Katie is able to get a few jobs, but they all end in minor disasters, which leaves Katie feeling that camp will forever be an impossibility.  After complaining to Mr. B, the friendly bodega owner downstairs, Katie is thrilled to be offered a job as a catsitter by her upstairs neighbor, Madeline.  When she arrives for her first night of work, Katie is surprised to find that Madeline has 217 very uniquely talented cats. The first night involves some feline mischief, especially involving the mean neighbor Mrs. Piper, but Katie soon learns how to connect with and handle the wide array of cats.  However, Katie soon begins to suspect that there is more to Madeline and the Mousetress than meets the eye, and it quickly becomes apparent that Katie will have to step in to help Mousetress before it’s too late.

This story uses a variety of elements to create a fast-moving, but engaging adventure.  Stephanie Yue’s illustrations are crisp and fun, making both the human and feline characters captivating for the reader.  This graphic novel will appeal to a wide range of readers, and cat lovers will find Katie the Catsitter impossible to put down.