Take Two! Felipe and Claudette by Mark Teague

Claudette and Felipe were adoption day dropouts. All the other cats and dogs, kittens and puppies had come, been chosen, and gone. But not grumpy Felipe the cat and goofy Claudette the dog.

They had been at the shelter for ages.

"What will I do with you?"

Mrs. Barrett, the dismayed animal shelter director, has reason to lament. Felipe knows why Claudette hasn't been adopted. She barks all the time, except when she's shredding her toys, running in silly circles, drooling spit all over her ball, making snorking sounds even when she is not asleep, and rolling in mud whenever it is available.

Claudette sees persnickety Felipe's problem is that she doesn't do anything. She dozes and daydreams about posh homes and won't play with her--or anybody else.

"I will not throw your ball. It is covered in spittle. Anyway, cats do not throw.

"I will not play tug-of-war with you," said Felipe. "Cats do not tug."

Adoption days come and go, and Felipe and Claudette stay with Mrs. Barrett.

Finally a gentleman comes to the shelter who is not put off by constant barking, drooling, chewing, and digging. He takes Claudette home.

Felipe is stunned.

And then she is bored. And lonely. Is it possible that she actually misses noisy, messy Claudette?

And then the man returns with Claudette.

"She is not the dog I thought she was.

All she does is mope!"

It seems that Felipe and and Claudette are a made-in-heaven match after all, in Mark Teague's perfect portrait of a hyperactive pooch and a chronically cranky cat, Felipe and Claudette. (Orchard Books, 2019) as accommodations are made by all and the two pets live happily ever after with Mrs. Barrett, where at least for the nonce, the war between cats and dogs finds a happy truce. As always, Mark Teague's big, bold illustrations are delightful, portraying the two pets' personalities with telling comic detail, while affirming the premise that it takes all kinds to make a world. This one is definitely a read-aloud kid pleaser and easy enough for early readers to read solo--another winner for the award-winning Mark Teague.