Upping the Ante: Splat the Cat: The Perfect Present for Mom and Dad by Rob Scotton

SPLAT'S TAIL WIGGLED WILDLY.

HE WANTED TO MAKE THE BEST PRESENT FOR HIS MOM AND DAD TO SHOW THEM HOW MUCH HE LOVED THEM.

BUT SPLAT'S SISTER AND BROTHER WERE MAKING PRESENTS, TOO.

Splat fashions a really cute clown fish for a mobile. He's proud of it--until he sees his brother's 3-D model of a tower and his sister's hand-strung necklace with beads that spell out M-O-M in the center.

"I CAN DO BETTER!" SPLAT SAID.

"SO CAN I!" SAID HIS BROTHER.

"ME, TOO!" SAID HIS SISTER.

It's a sibling rivalry which quickly turns into an arms race of product development. Splat adds an artistic octopus to his mobile. His sister adds a matching bracelet to her set. His brother designs an elaborate castle around his initial tower.

"I THINK I CAN DO BETTER!" THEY ALL AGREE.

It's back to the drawing board for Splat and his siblings as they all make their individual projects grander and grander. Finally reason prevails, and the three kitty competitors decide it is time to stop the escalation and pool their efforts.

And the three little cats come up with the perfect gift--one that makes use of ALL of their presents in one--a faux fish tank populated with plenty of mobile critters, with a sunken treasure chest of hand-made beaded jewelry, and a castle for Splat's sea creatures to swim around in. It's the perfect present from the three cooperating kids, in Splat the Cat: The Perfect Present for Mom & Dad (HarperFestival, 2012) in this latest story with a surprise ending that even the three kitties couldn't have predicted. Rob Scotton's able crew of co-author Annie Auerbach and artists Rick Farley and Joe Markel combine their talents as did Splat & Company in this new Splat adventure.